2.2.13

SURPRISE!

Saturday was a great day. Troy will be 40 soon and I threw him a surprise birthday party.

It was a great party.

The best part of it... best part? that might not be the right word... but it's the part of the story that makes this a totally US story.

The week had been crazy...trying to get everything together, trying to cook and make party favors...and just get a hundred things done...all without Troy knowing.

Well, the stress of it, I think, took it's toll...because poor Troy was feeling very neglected by the time Saturday rolled around.

And we had little "tiff".

And it wasn't pretty.

And I felt bad.

And almost spoiled the party.

But..I held it together.

And we had the party.

And Troy came in.

And was surprised.

And then...he hung his head in shame.

best. moment. all. day.

It was a great night.

I wanted 40 to feel special for him.

And I think Troy felt the love.

Getting Troy a gift was so difficult. I could not think of anything. Luckily, Jenn remembered that Troy had always wanted a Flowbee. Which is so true!

So I got one for him. And he was so very happy.

The party favors.

It was a great night.

1.11.13

Troy had a couple of days off -- and it was so nice.

I love the chance we have to reconnect and be together.

He is such a good man....we are so lucky to have him.

Nothing better than a lunch date with my love.

1.5.13

Troy and I got to spend some quality time together...driving kids around and even going on a date.

Life is so busy now. There are some days that pass when we hardly see each other...so we are trying to make the most of the time that we have. The moments are precious and few - but they mean so much.

Snapped this photo if Troy this morning. #lovehim

1.2.13

Troy and I got to enjoy one more day of vacation without the kids.

i know!

V Day

If you know us, you know our history with Valentine's Day is not a good one.

See here, here, or here for just a few examples.

So, I am happy to report that Valentine's Day did not suck.

I know.

I'm shocked too.

It wasn't anything special. But we did get to go to dinner together. At the same time. In the same place.

And honestly, being together was all that really mattered.

39 baby

Troy is 39 today.

My word. 39.

That's old.

Of course, Troy is comforted by the thought that I am always going to be older than him. : )

It was a pretty low key day. Troy wanted to spend a quiet evening together...we had dinner at a really nice restaurant and watched a show at the Kennedy Center with friends. 

In my book...that's pretty great day.

Happy Birthday sweetheart. 

I hope this is the best year yet.

ps. doesn't he look good with the beard? 

Spooky

We had our ward party tonight...Troy and I were in charge.

I thought it went well and everyone seemed to have a good time.

There was a huge turnout. I'm certain of the exact number, but I am guess well over 300 people. We had 20 different chilis and I was happy to see the Englis Family take top spot..although the Dzarans only missed it by one point!

I have spent the week getting everyone's costume's ready and I am pleased with the final result.

Everyone chose a different Disney villian.

Mikayla was Cruella DeVille:

Emma was the Queen of Hearts (and I am especially happy with her costume since I sewed it myself...and was super worried about how all the piecing would work on the dress and jacket...but I thought it turned out nicely):

Joe was Lotsa Hugging Bear (sewed this one as well...and I have to say...he is probably the only 12 year old boy in the world who would want to be a giant pink bear for Halloween, but he pulled it off pretty well, and managed to figure out that he could pretty much get any girl he wanted to hug him while wearing this costume. : ) Such a ladies man...don't know where that comes from. lol!)

Josh did not attend the ward party...but he is smee (from peter pan) and I will post his photo on Halloween).

Becky was the evil queen from Snow White (this is her mean face):

And Katie was the witch from Snow White (the Queen transformed -- she got some crazy mask painted on during the children's carinval...so i'll post another photo on Halloween with her nose and basket full of apples):

Finally...Troy was Captain Hook ... although I was unable to pick up his coat before the party...so he looks a little more...Little Richard than Big Bad Sailor. (Sorry Troy!)

And I was running around like crazy, so no photos of my Maleficent costume (I will take one!) So...just a little self portrait after it was all over. (Do I look a little too excited? :) )

16 years later

It's August 19th.

16 years ago today:

I was 24 years old.
Living in Provo.
In between my 2nd and 3rd year of law school.
Crazy Nervous.

...and right about this time of day...I was just married.

I know everyone always said they married their best friend, but the truth of the matter is...I didn't yet know Troy well enough to call him my best friend.

We dated for just 30 days before becoming engaged.

I know that's crazy short and I'd have a fit if one of my kids decided to do that...but when you know, you know.

And believe me, I KNEW.

After being engaged for a few weeks, Troy left for a study abroad in Russia.

We were apart for almost our entire engagement.

So...on my wedding day I did not marry my best friend.

But...16 years later, i'm so grateful to say that I am married to him now.

The love that we share...it's been tried and tested...and has grown with every trial we have faced together.

And we are both better for it.

So, let me just say Happy Anniversary Troy.

I am ever grateful that we keep working on it...and keep making it better.

So glad that we are on the same page about where we are going and how we want to get there.

i love you!

Fun in the Sun

When we went up to get Emma from sailing camp, we had the chance to play a little as a family.

We went to the yacht club (uh...never imagined myself at a yacht club!),  went swimming, went boating and tubing. It was a blast.

The kids even talked me into giving it a try.

And totally loved it when i had a major wipeout.

Which, by the way, reaffirms for me that I am well and truly old.

And, poor sweet Becky.

She took a ride with the big kids and had a major wipe out. MAJOR. She was so scared and did not want to ride again.

But, Troy and I got on with her and told her that we would take it nice and slow.

She was terrified of it all. But, she was a trooper and held on. I am so proud of her!

We really appreciate Quoc and Ellen taking Emma for the week and showing us a really good time.

The Good News

Troy had his staples removed. 

He is healing well and happy to be able to comb his hear without fear of ripping one off!

And...

We found our Troy is cancer free. YAY!!!!

There were additional cancer cells in the part they removed from his head, however, the perimeters are clear.

He will continue getting checked every few months, but we are beyond relieved that he is well.

Thank you so much for your love and support. I cannot begin to express how grateful we are to all of you.

I know that this really turned out to be quite minor for us...but it didn't feel minor. And no matter how difficult this was...the kindness and love we have received can never be repaid.

xo

Cover Up

Troy was supposed to have his staples out today, but it didn't work out.

Luckily, we went out last night and bought Troy a new hat ... since his baseball cap wasn't totally appropriate for work.

I think he pulls it off.

Don't Look

Troy had the bandages removed today.

Other than a headache ... he is doing really well.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. We feel so blessed to have so many people in our corner!

And...we did manage to find the silver lining in all of this.

Troy's bald spot is considerably smaller -- apparently one of the treatments for baldness is actually the removal of excess skin.

And...his forehead is a little tighter (so he looks like he got a little facelift). Unfortunately, his hairline does appear to have receded some.

Oh well.

Gotta take the good with the bad, right? : )

Plus...he is still totally hot.

Troy really is doing very well.

In case you are interested..I have a photo.

But...don't look if you are squeamish.

















Really. It's gross.













Don't say I didn't warn you!

He really is a superman. I'm so glad he's okay!

Poor Baby

My poor baby.

The surgery went really well. Troy was nervous on the way to the hospital ... i don't think he slept well last night. I'm not sure i've ever seen him nervous before.

But...once he got checked in and prepped, he was a rock.

And I turned back into a worried mess.

The surgery was about 45 minutes and they removed about a half dollar size section from the top of his head. We go back tomorrow for them to take the bandages off. He's got 14 staples. 

They will send the section they removed to a lab at Boston University for processing. We will know in about two weeks if he is cancer free. We have (as does the doctor) -- very high hopes.

Let's have a party when we know for sure.

(He's a good sport, isn't he?)

The Big C

Do you ever think about how much your family means to you?

About how much the people you love mean to you and what your life would be life without them?

I think it's pretty easy to take those people for granted and sometimes things happen that make you take stock of your life and realize that our time here on earth is precious...and relatively short.

And that we really need to cherish the people that mean to most to us.

Troy was recently diagnosed with melanoma.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer.

It's been a scary time for us...and not knowing or having answers has been really tough.

But through it all, Troy has been a rock. Solid, Sure. Confident.

I, on the other hand, have been a wreck.

Troy likes to say that he has no need to worry because I do enough worrying for both of us.

Which, as loathe as I am to admit, is actually true.

Fortunately, Troy is at stage 1. We caught the cancer very early and Troy has surgery scheduled for Wednesday morning. If everything goes as planned, this should be all the treatment Troy needs.

I think that any time you have trials you have to be grateful for the good that comes from it.

One thing I hope that will come out of this is that we will each take the opportunity to check ourselves and our loved ones for the early signs of skin cancer.

I actually found the growth on Troy while cutting his hair and I urged him to see a doctor.

If you know Troy, getting him to go the doctor was no easy task.

But...he has also come away with the knowledge that he must always wear sunscreen and/or a hat.

I am hoping that each of you will take similar precautions.

Additionally, I have really had the chance to reaffirm to Troy how very much I love him and how much he means to me.

Life would not be the same without Troy in it. (Although I could definitely do without any more "dead husband" jokes from my dear sweet "still living" husband.)

We will keep you posted with how things are going.

Cause He's the Dad

We had an excellent father's day -- well, at least I did, so I am hoping Troy did too.

The kids made cards and Josh included some coupons in his. Troy's favorite coupon was the one which promised that Josh would give him a whole hour alone. lol! 

Joe's card showed his vision of his super dad ... and for some reason, I was falling off a tall building when Troy swooped in to save me.

Should I be worried that Joe sees me needing to be rescued or that I am falling off a building?

The kids got Troy this great Super Dad card -- and we doctored up the photo on the card to show our own favorite Super Dad.

What more perfect card could you find for Troy than one that has him wearing socks, sandals, and a cape. Classic Troy.

I also made Troy a little gift and made him this little frame with an "I LOVE YOU MORE THAN COKE ZERO" sign.

BTW, It's true.

I know.

Shocking.

We also found Husker Du...one of Troy's favorite kids game.

I love you Troy.

Thanks for being such a great Dad!!!

go away sweet valentine

You know Troy and I have a terrible track record with valentine's day. 

So bad, in fact, that we have totally given up on it.

In case you don't know our history...

So, this year...instead of writing a mushy post about all the things I love about Troy...instead...I've got a different type of list in mind.

10 Things You May or May Not Know About Troy

1. He is super optimistic...earning himself the nickname "Miss Merry Sunshine." He is most chipper at 5 am -- coincidentally...the time at which I feel least chipper.
2. He will not skip work to play hooky with me...dang work ethic.
3. When I tell him about my bad day...he always looks for ways to "fix" it. I'm pretty sure it's a man thing.
4. He uses the skills I have taught him about listening on other people. Everyone thinks he's a great listener...now you know why.
5. He will wear socks with holes in them until I secretly throw them away. oops. Don't tell him, k?
6. He takes great pleasure in demonstrating "chi" running and "facercise" -- no matter how much it embarrasses me. Please...feel free to ask for a demonstration...I'm working through my issues with it.
7. He still wears socks with sandals even though he can at long last acknowledge how incredibly unfashionable it is.
8. He has no lack of humility about his game playing skills. He loves to tell the story about being the mission hearts champion. Again...feel free to ask him about it.
9. His standard answer when you ask him how you look is "fine."
10.  He would never write a list like this, because he is just too nice. Dang man.

Really...I love this man. And I hope he has a good valentine's day. Even if we are no longer celebrating it.

Happy Birthday

My sweet Troy is 38 today.

So...you know the drill.

38 things I love about Troy.

1. You can't say cliches right to save your life. I find it endearing. I even look forward to it now.
2. You love crumbs. Makes me think you were a mouse in a former life.
3. You wear a hat to bed. I actually look forward to when it gets cold enough for you to break it out.
4. You still have to ask me to pick your outfits...I love knowing you still need me.
5. You like to show me your biceps...makes me smile every time.
6. Every time you pour soda, I know you're going to try and stir out the bubbles. Makes me laugh.
7. You let me tease you about practically everything and always take it in stride.
8. Along the same lines, you are an incredibly good sport about letting me write about you on the blog.
9. You are a list maker...always writing it down and planning ahead.
10. You are a fierce game player and I have almost learned never to accuse you of cheating...almost.
11. You are forever reading and tearing out or tabbing things that you think I need to read.
12. You are still in denial about your poor hearing. I think you secretly like it that you can't always hear me.
13. Your taste in music is eclectic. I love that you have both Patti LuPone and Lady Gaga on your playlist.
14.  We know all your stories by heart now...so well, that we can even tell them for you.
15. You're still a morning person...and frequently let me sleep in...i'm grateful.
16. You still have a penchant for greasy diner food. I can always count on you to order a grilled cheese.
17. You have finally realized that you can wear colors other than blue. It's only taken...38 years.
18. You are a risk taker...so much so that it makes me nervous.
19. You are incredibly forgiving...especially when i'm a brat and pick a fight. You really are a good guy!
20. You are very thrifty...but you have come a long way...thank goodness.
21. I love that you can tie cherry stems into a knot with your tongue and pick up things with your toes.
22. You are my biggest fan...what more could a girl ask for?
23. You are such a genuinely happy person...some of it has even rubbed off on me. Dang it.
24. You almost always let me have it my way...even if I don't always think so.
25.  You love to travel...and even better...you love to take me with you. Where do you want to go next?
26. You are always expressing your love to me...in notes, in soft touches on my face..in so many ways.
27. You are very handy...I am continually surprised at what you know how to do.
28. You still have the cutest bum...there's a reason HHS voted you best buns.
29. You are a very thoughtful person....always going to extra mile.
30. You are beyond patient...how did I get so lucky?
31. You are my most avid blog reader.
32. You are very spiritual and have a strong testimony.
33. You are incredibly supportive of all my hopes and dreams. I'm so lucky!
34. You are a hard worker...too hard sometimes.
35. You are a very deep feeling person, and actually very tender hearted. I forget that sometimes.
36. You are so talented...I am always amazed by what you can do.
37. You are incredibly loving and always try your best to make sure those you care about feel loved.
38. You are the best husband and father I could ever hope for.

I'm the luckiest girl in the world...and I hope you have the best birthday ever.

Credit Is Due

I know Troy thinks I only post the funny, sad, embarrassing things about him...but really, I have to say, I give credit where credit is due.

And this man is due.

Look what I found last night on the kitchen counter:

And then this morning...I found this on my desk:

seriously.

I'm one lucky girl.

Even When It Hurts

I did something I have never had to do before yesterday.

I sent Troy to do the shopping.

He had to go buy 2 new pair of shoes for the kids.
Do a costco run.
And do the grocery shopping.

I was a little worried.

Occasionally, he does milk and cereal runs, and he will come home with all kinds of crazy stuff -- especially if he's hungry.

So...with the major shopping to do, I just wasn't sure.

I think it was mostly a success.

You know.

Except for the three phone calls while he was out, the fact that of the two pairs of shoes he came home with -- only one was for the kids, and he pooped out after costco.

Oh yeah, since he was hungry, there were a few extras purchases,

I think he should have eaten before he left the house.

Lesson learned.

 ps. lest he think me totally ungrateful, he has done a great job of being mr. mom. I do appreciate it!

One Smart Cookie

So...Troy was in need of a serious chocolate fix and was searching the house for something to satisfy his craving...when much to his delight he opened the fridge to find a yummy chocolate bar.

But wait...it was labeled.

Well...he decided that he was in pretty dire need and so he was going to ignore the gentle plea left by his sweet daughter.

When...he opened it up and found:

She really did mean it!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

No way he could eat it now.

What can I say?

That is one smart cookie. (How did she know? HAHAHAHAHAHA)