Happy Flippin Easter!

Lex's Graduation


Our Graduate! Ashlee's little sister Alexa (Lex) graduated from BYU Idaho on Thursday with her Communication/Broadcasting Bachelors Degree. So we all drove over to support her and watch her walk the the line. Lex is a great Aunt, she is so good with our kids. She takes them for over nighter's, takes them to class, has slumber parties in our bonus room, and takes them to lunch. It is easy to love the ones who love your kids. Congratulations Lex. We are all proud of you!


My favorite little girl! Tommy and I spent the majority of the ceremony in the foyer working on her walking skills.


Wylie during the ceremony.


The Walker Girls.


Lex and her FAVORITE brother in-laws.


Way to go Lexa Bean!



Hidden Springs Easter Party

SATURDAY


So the Saturday before Easter we had a fun filled day. There were a couple of Easter Egg Hunts that the kids were going to and Riggin had a wrestling tournament. On Friday night, I was a little torn because Riggin was going to have to miss one Easter Egg Hunt for sure if we went to the wrestling tournament, and possibly both depending on what time we would get done. So I went to him and asked "Riggin, would you rather go to an Easter Egg Hunt or a Wrestling Tournament?" Mind you, I said it as matter-of-factly as I could so he would not have an inclination of the answer I was hoping for. And he looked at me and grinned and said "Wrestling Tournament" like I was an idiot or something for even asking. Needless to say, pretty proud Dad moment.

Our Subdivision puts on a huge Easter Bash every year. It has Easter Egg Hunts, Art Activities, Jump Toys, 3 Legged Races, Gunnie Sack Races, Egg Tosses, and so on. So Ashlee and I had to divide and conquer. I took Riggin to Melba early in the morning (6:30am) to get weighed in for the tournament and Ashlee stayed home to take the little ones to the Easter Festivities.

It turned out to be a great day. It was the first time Riggin and I ever went to a tournament just him and I. We ate breakfast together after weigh ins and then warmed up together. He wrestled like a Rock Star. He had some tough matches, but whipped them all. That's right...FIRST PLACE BABY! So my Easter present came early. After the Finals we jumped in the car and raced back home to catch the rest of the Easter Bash. We made it just minutes before the second Easter Egg Hunt and played the rest of the day. Who said you can't find Heaven on Earth.


Tommy LOVED the Easter Bunny.


The CHAMPION getting ready to run down some eggs.





Wylie loved the Jump House.

Riggin catching the egg during the Egg Toss, which him and his partner won!

However, they did not win the 3 Legged Race. His partner ended up just picking Riggin up and carrying him.


And at the end of the day...Tommy crashed after a little toast.


EASTER
SUNDAY


Sunday was another busy day. We woke up to find the Easter Bunny had found our house. While the kids went through their baskets Ash made breakfast. We went to church, then to a picnic at the park with the Stones, and then to Walkers for dinner. It was a great day!

WHOA! We Are Behind

So... we are WAY behind! This is a fast and furious summary of the last couple of months. Here we go...

Elleigh Rose Hilbig



In January Ashlee's little sister (Auna)was expecting their 4th little one. Ashlee, unable to refrain from being near child birth, couldn't stand it and went to go help her out. Everything went great and Elleigh Rose Hilbig made her grand entrance with out complications. Ashlee went with her mom (Bug), but Hilbig still wouldn't let them in the room for the birth. He must cry a lot. Anyway it was probably a good move because Ashlee gets so excited she may have tried to deliver the baby herself, but anyway...they were still the first family to meet her.


While Ashlee was there Riggin served as his cousin Emmy's "Show and Tell"...



And poor Wylie got a staff infection on the tip of his finger. Too much playing in the wrestling room, I guess. But it was concerning enough that Ashlee and Auna took him to the ER in Idaho Falls to make sure it didn't get any worse. Poor little guy! Anyway the nurses were great and gave him Popsicles and 7-Up which put him right at ease. They said it wasn't that serious and gave him some medicine and pain killers. Wylie later refused both of them, but got better anyway.





BUT, Once we got our bill from our insurance provider after our co-pay... This is all we have to say to Regence Blue Shield!!! $100.00 Co-Pay my @#%.





STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT


So we had a great season. I loved being head coach. I never knew how much more emotionally entangled I was going to get with each kid. I felt a direct responsibility for their successes and failures. But I found out early that their successes and failures were not only measured in the the matches they won or lost, rather it was measured in their character and maturity they were developing. If that is the true measuring stick.....I have a team full of champions.


I know what you are thinking...Dead Sexy, Right?



FLAG FOOTBALL IN VEGAS



This is me and all of my brothers (1/2 Brothers, I guess). Tyler (far left) loves flag football and puts together a team each year. This was the first time that all of us brothers were able to play together at the same time. Even more poinient since I have only known them for 12 years now. It was a great experience. We played good, but lost in the semifinals to the team that won the whole thing (We should have beat them, but that's another story.) Anyway, we all took our wives and had a great couple of days.



This is Ashlee's Grandpa Jerry and his girlfriend Peggy. They were there in Vegas and came to support.

It might be a little blurry cause I am moving so fast, but I am number 3.









This is all of us again except the two on the left end. They are cousins (Austin and Conner)on the same side of the family. Hope we can do it again next year, but if Tyler doesn't get me the right jersy next time I'm gonna freak out! Love ya Ty!



Here We Go Again





Riggin has been wrestling for the last couple of months and he is doing AWESOME! He has posted only 1st and 2nd place finishes, so far. I told him the other day, as we were driving to a tournament, that this is heaven for me...to be able to take my son to wrestling matches and watch him compete. I really have dreamed of this since I was a little boy. Riggin is very smart and is able to incorporate new techniques very quick. Without sounding too boastful or biast... Riggin is gonna be one of the great ones. Watch and see.

BOISE FIGHT NIGHT



Our Friends had a suite for the last MMA fights in Boise so we all went to dinner and to the fights. It was a good time had by all. Thanks Joe and Steph!




GUITAR HERO "WORLD TOUR"

Any excuse to dress up...Right? The other night our friends, The Dudley's, invited us over for a some band practice. So we all dressed the part and went and melted some faces.










SENIORITA

One of my wrestlers family went to Mexico over spring break and the mom (Tina) brought back our kids some souviners. Tommy got this cute dress. Bonita Seniorita! (I am sure that it is mispelled, I only speak two languages fluently...English and the language of LOVE)









That's it for now. 3 hours later and I am finally done? Ridiculous! We gotta stay on top of this.