My Claim to Fame

I can't believe I forgot to post this....while on my trip to Idaho I saw Phil, (the guy in the middle) on my airplane. I was completely starstruck...

Modern Family is one of my husband's favorite sitcoms and so I called and bragged it up! Would have been cooler if I had gotten an autograph.

America's Favorite Past time...

This is what we have been doing every Saturday for the last almost two months.

Matt is the coach for Jack's blastball team and the assistant coach for Stephen's T-ball.

Here are the attempts I made at trying to get a picture of Jack's team. All the kids were interested in anything besides the camera.


Stephen's team was a little more cooperative for the photo.
So funny story with this helmet of Stephen's. First off he had a nice red one that didn't have a face mask, but upon entering Dick's to buy him a bat he begged for a new helmet. We refused and had to drag him out kicking and screaming. Only to find out later that his red helmet wouldn't work because of the no face mask. So back to Dick's we went and ended up paying double what we would have (because they were on sale the first time). So parents sometimes giving into those tantrums can actually save you money.

He couldn't be more proud of his helmet though and the whole team knows it. After each game the couch gives one player the game ball. When Stephen earned the ball the couch asked "now who hit the ball every time they were up to bat" and a lot of the kids raised their hands. Then he asked, "Well who has the coolest helmet." Everyone dropped their hands and yelled Stephen. That really made his day.


I have loved watching them play and really enjoy seeing them improve. Just yesterday I was playing catch with the boys and while we were playing Stephen would stop every now and then to coach Jack. He said cute things like "Always watch were you are throwing" and would show him how to position his body. What a good big brother.

My Trip to Idaho

It was so fun to be with family again. Over the weekend I laughed so hard that my stomach was seriously cramping painfully by Sunday. I showcased my beautiful Karaoke skills (For the record Wendy scored lower than me! So I'm not the worst but still not good) and my brother in-law Johnathan entertained us with his late night stories of dissecting dead people.

The reason for the trip was because my littlest brother (only boy in the picture below) got married. I can't believe all my siblings are now married! He was the baby (youngest) in the family and it was fun to see how he has changed and grown and even matured a little.

Anyway it makes me emotional thinking about it so onto the randomly presented pics.

All the stunningly beautiful former Stimpson girls with the handsome groom.

My Brother and Sister in Law just chillin' with me
All the girls including in-laws with the bride

And a very out of order picture of some of my high school friends who I got to get together with when I went to my old home. (somebody needs to inform me how to arrange the pics in the right order). Katie my friend on the far left was kind enough to let me stay with her in Utah and take me to the airport in the morning. She decorates her house so cute that I left feeling totally inspired to make an effort in my own home.

And my ever hilarious Dad who while visiting took me asparagus picking in rural Declo and who also took me to the bead store. The bead store trip ended up being quite humorous because before going into the bead store I jokingly told my dad not to get too carried away. I was laughing when he said upon entering the store, "Hey these beads would be great for steel head fishing." And then ended up purchasing some. So hilarious I took a picture. The funnier part was when we went to Wal-Mart afterward and he ran into his fishing buddy who he had to take out to the car to show him his cool beads. I think he was as excited as I was to find such cute beads!! (my mom also came along with us, it was fun just hanging out alone with the parents. When you have eight siblings it is rare)

More extremely glamorous babes. (all my sisters and me..oh and my mom)

I told my brother to work it for the camera...look at that stud. In the temple ceremony both of our grandparents have passed away and they needed someone to sit in the grandmother spot and since I was the only sibling without a spouse there I got to be the grandma for the day. Really, I was called Grandma Reddington for the next two days.

The cake and the happy couple.
Saturday the family got together to have a surprise celebration for my dad's birthday/father's day at the bowling alley. (My Dad loves bowling and competes in National tournaments, ya I know he is awesome like that.) After the bowling we all went to have a BBQ at the park.
It really was so fun to just relax with the family. I wish my kids and husband could have come but I have to admit it was less stress not having to worry about my kids running off, bearing their bums, or breaking anything.

I also got to visit with the in-laws and do some beading with them. I really lucked out with in the good in-law department.

It was so fun to see everyone and I can't believe how much seeing everybody makes me realize just how much I love and miss them. Till next time....