Meet The Parents (and the rest of the crew)

Last week I traveled home to Sunny Southern to

soak in the sun,
spectate at several high school sports,
wander hopelessly lost around East LA,
compete in the Campbell Family Pounce Olympics,
shop till I drop,
abandon my children to relax by a pool for 2 days straight,
and enjoy all other manners of frivolous nonsense.

Happy Mother's Day to me.

But while I was there, I realized something very important.
I'm a lucky girl.

I have the coolest parents.
And the coolest siblings.
And the coolest nephew.
And the coolest grandparents.
And the coolest cousins.
And the coolest friends.
And the list could go on and on like this, but I think you get it.

So, if you don't mind, today I will introduce you to the Crew.
(It'll be like meeting the In-laws. Digital style.)

First up...
Grandpa (or more commonly referred to as "Dad.")

Favorite Vacation Moment:
Dad watching both girls by himself for 2 days straight. Best grandpa ever? Um, yes.
Hidden Talent:
Voices. He does them all during story time. And faces too.
Dad's Fashion Theory:

Practical. (Just kidding - I love you, Dad.)

Next up...
Grandma (aka Mom, madre, mother, and any other variation imaginable.)

Most Distinguishing Trait:
The Smith Tongue.
It comes out in moments of intense concentration (such as keeping score in Pounce.)
Sadly, it is the one characteristic of hers that she has passed to every single offspring.
(Well, that and the Smith talent (curse) of crying at the drop of a hat. Why? WHY?!)

Why I Love Her:
She stole my role of designated swing-pusher the whole trip.
Sweet.
Moral of the Story:
Take more pictures of you and your mom together so that the only one you have (out of 484) is not of you all in swimsuits. Yikes.

Moving on...

Meet Brittany.
Brittany rocks.

The One Bad Thing About Brittany:
My kids like her more than they like me. They do. They really do.
Brittany's Secret Passion:
Rainbow manis and pedis.
Brittany has about 4 of every color of nail polish.
What more could a 3 year old princess wish for?

The Other Bad Thing About Brittany:
She gets a little intense during Pounce.
She really did slap him that night.
For reals.

(*This is where brother, Brad would fit. But he wasn't home. He is equally as awesome as all the siblings, but I have no pictures. So that is all he gets. Love you, B-rad.)

Next up:
Bachelor #1 - Brendan Leon Campbell

Things That Brendan's Good At:
Making red hair look good, washing cars, causing you to fall out of your chair from laughing so hard, measuring his chocolate milk with a tablespoon, making little girls in yellow bathing suits laugh with pure delight,
firing up a team, setting, spiking, digging, killing (in volleyball only), passing, jumping, volleying, and every other type of awesomeness,
and kissing.
(Or so my girls tell me. Because I have never kissed him. Because he is my brother. And that would be weird.)
(Oh, and plus - he has the loudest (and best looking) cheering section at every game. He is the coolest. I rest my case.)

Ineligible Bachelor #2:
Braden.
It doesn't get any better than Braden.
How To Describe Braden in One Word:
Stud.
He got asked to go to Prom by 3 different girls.
He is 15.
In Another Life, Braden Would Be:
A clown.
A funny one, not a creepy one.

Most Inadequate Description of The Coolest Kid Ever:
This one.

Next up...
Chelsey (or Chelsea - depending.)

Chelsey's Best Nickname:
Chelsey Hambell.
(Like Mia Ham. But Ham-bell...
You know, like Campbell - but with a Ham....
Cause she plays soccer....
Nevermind.)

Talents Chelsey Doesn't Have:
Feeling tired.
That is all.

Scariest Moment of My Life:
Finding out she now shaves. And wears make-up.
It still makes me want to cry.

Let's keep the intros coming...
this is Jake
(or Blake, if you're Brooklyn and Aubrey. They're confused.)
The Most Handsome Man in the House:
It's not even a contest.

Brooklyn and Aubrey's Favorite Child to Be Squished Next To:
Yep, that would be Jake.

Most Loved Little Boy in the World:
Again, no competition.

Let's Keep Truckin'...

These ladies are the coolest.
Some are former YW teachers (bless their hearts), some are former employers of mine (babysitting), some I have admired from afar, and some I discovered were even cooler than I thought.
We spent 24 hours together in the blistering Palm Springs Desert and it was paradise.
We talked girl talk (SIX POINT OH!!), we told hilarious stories ("I want you light..."), we laughed a lot ("I just peed a little bit."), and we loved it.
This one is special. She's an aunt. And she's awesome.

Last, but certainly not least...
Meet the Great Grandparents.
They are all the best you'll find anywhere.
Anywhere.
And they are way more amazing than I could ever describe, so I'm not even going to try.
My children wanted to move in with them.
And so did I.