Him & Me

1. Who is more likely to embarrass the other while drunk?

Since neither of us has ever been drunk, I don't really know, but probably Scotty because he embarrasses me while sober, so it would probably just be amped up with him on alcohol. 

2. Who is most likely to die in a zombie apocalypse?

I've already decided to just surrender to the zombies. Why not just join them? So me. 

3. Who is most likely to discuss your private life in public?

Me.

4. Who is most likely to prank the other?

Me. Because Scotty would like it. If he pulled a prank on me, he would be in the doghouse for a long time, and he knows that. 

5. Who is most likely to buy a gift the other person hates?

Scotty.

6. Who is most likely to be arrested for something stupid?

I don't think either of us. 

7. Who is most likely to forget the name of someone they know?

Scotty. Hands down. 

8. Who is most likely to cook dinner?

Me.

9. Who is most likely to quit their job to travel?

Neither of us. We kind of need the jobs so we can travel, but I know that's not a mentality that everyone has. 

10. Who is most likely to get jealous over something trivial?

Me. 

11. Who is most likely to lose something in the house?

Both of us lose stuff. 

12. Who's most likely to be grumpy when they're hungry?

Me.

13. Who's most likely to overspend at the grocery store?

Me on the day to day shopping, but Scotty if there's a camping trip involved. 

14. Who is most likely to tell the best jokes?

Me. Scotty's jokes are dumb.

15. Who is most likely to buy a new car without telling the other?

Neither of us would do that. 

16. Who is most likely to win a game of cards?

Scotty. Unless it's a word game like Quiddler. 

17. Who is most likely to complain about something?

Me. 

18. Who is most likely to go to bed before 9 pm?

Scotty. 

19. Who is most likely to come up with a world-changing invention?

Scotty. 

20. Who is most likely to bring home a surprise kitten?

Me. 

21. Who is most likely to binge-watch a TV series?

Either of us. Scotty watches a lot of shows while donating plasma twice a week, and I usually have a show playing in the background while I work. 

22. Who is most likely to plan things on a vacation?

Scotty does the logistics while I do the food and packing. 

23. Who is most likely to be pulled over for bad driving?

Scotty. He is more aggressive, doesn't signal for the proper amount of time, passes on the right... 

24. Who is most likely to retrain in a new career?

Either one of us could, but Scotty is the one who actually has. At this point, though, he'll probably stick with what he knows, and I'm the one who might end up somewhere entirely new someday. 

25. Who is most likely to want to go on a cruise?

Scotty. 

26. Who is more likely to drop something?

Me. I'm clumsy.

27. Who is most likely to watch a horror movie?

Scotty. 

28. Who is most likely to forget why they walked into a room?

Me.

29. Who is most likely to get annoyed with the other's music?

Me. Scotty listens to some stuff that's just awful!

30. Who is most likely to fall asleep at the movie theater?

Scotty. He always does. 

31. Who is most likely to be scared of spiders?

We don't love spiders, but neither of us is particularly scared of them. 

32. Who is most likely to have nightmares?

Me. I'm a dreamer. Scotty is not. 

33. Who is most likely to get dressed up in a fancy dress?

Definitely me. 

34. Who is most likely to spend all the savings?

Me. 

35. Who is most likely to read a book?

Me. 

36. Who is most likely to drop their phone in the toilet?

Me, considering I've done in three times, and Scotty has never. 

37. Who is most likely to grow their own fruits and vegetables?

This is something we do together!

38. Who is most likely to win in a spelling bee?

Me. I'm the better speller between us, BUT I can't spell aloud. So there will never be any reason for us to do a spelling bee together. 

39. Who is most likely to get a piercing?

Me.

40. Who is most likely to start a business?

Scotty.

41. Who is most likely to forget where they parked the car?

Me. 

42. Who is most likely to fart in public?

Me. Scotty has manners. I'm practically Shrek. 

43. Who is most likely to eat spicy food?

Scotty.

44. Who's most likely to use a swear word?

Me.

45. Who's most likely to get plastic surgery?

Me. 

46. Who spends the most money on clothes?

Me.

47. 

While You Were Away

Scotty recently returned from a business trip to Asia. Being on the other side of the world didn’t give us much time to talk while he was gone (my days were his nights and my todays were his tomorrows), so I kept a little journal of sorts (i.e. blog post in my draft folder) where I wrote to him about what happened while he was gone. 

Day 1: Saturday 

I woke up at 5:30 to take you to the airport. Chick-fil-A doesn’t start serving breakfast until 6:30, but it’s fine. It’s not like I hoped for a chicken biscuit (i.e. drug biscuit) before 6:00… ahem… 

The kids and I went to your family’s Halloween party - except for Nicky who was having his first go at the ACT. Then we went to our ward chili cook off.

I tried to stay up and wait for our teenagers to get home from a region dance, but that 5:30 am airport drop off sans drug biscuit kicked in, and I passed out while watching Lessons in Chemistry. I set my alarm clock on my phone for every half hour so I could wake up and track the kids on my phone until they came home at almost midnight. They had to do a late-night McDonald’s run, of course.

Day 2: Sunday

I took the kids to church, and you texted me a few minutes into sacrament meeting to let me know you had finally arrived in Cambodia. After church we FaceTimed, and the kids were running around in the background and bringing grasshoppers in the house - reminding me why I never talk on the phone while they are home.

I let them play the Nintendo, which is normally something I make them take a break from on Sunday. They fought like vultures over a rabbit carcass. Then I made them all get in the van, and we went park hopping. We stopped at five parks. There was more fighting. 

In the evening, we went to your mom’s house to have breakfast burritos for dinner. Zoe and Eva actually got along while we were there, so that was nothing short of a miracle. We came home at 6:30, and I let them play Nintendo again, and they fought some more. At some point everyone ended up asleep, but I don’t remember how it happened. 

Day 3: Monday

I bailed on my morning walk with Julie and KoriAnn because I was coughing a ton. When I got up this morning, I was really fatigued. I decided to give myself a resting day. After I got everyone to school, you FaceTimed me for a bit. We are thirteen hours apart, so it was night there. We watched the crazy traffic at the intersection below your hotel window. 

You visited a garment manufacturer and a shoe manufacturer today. You ate some really creepy looking sea creatures and had a 90 minute massage where you had to wear very tiny underwear, and a Cambodian woman climbed on your back. Eek. 

Meanwhile, back in the USofA, I got swindled by Chick-fil-A (charged for a meal that was supposed to be free due to a glitch in the app) and took an hour long nap. I made chili mac for dinner and then spent a couple of hours out in the garage cutting out styrofoam coral reef. I wore sandals and ate ice cream out there - kind of oblivious to the 30-degree weather until I tried to walk and discovered that my feet didn’t work. A few hours later, they still didn’t feel right. Oops.

I made the mistake of googling the effects of inhaling melted styrofoam, and it turns out, I am going to die. 

Day 4: Halloween

Yesterday you left Cambodia and went to Vietnam. On Sunday I told your family that I hoped you would have to use one of those hole-in-the-floor toilets my Cambodian friend Mary used to show me photos of in high school. I got my wish, except you only had to pee. I secretly hope you have to poop in one before you come home, but I know you’d have to be pretty desperate. 

Today was exhausting. I finished painting a bunch of props for the musical at the high school and delivered them to the theatre teacher. 

I made some ham and potato soup and went to Timber’s for dinner. 

Then we met up with our neighbors and went trick or treating. I’ve never seen so many Spidermans (Spidermen?) in my life! I thought this was the year of Barbie, but Spiderman ruleth.

The house is a disaster, but I have another busy day tomorrow, so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to attend to that. Also, the girls are incessantly asking for pets, and they’re driving me nuts. 

Eva’s teacher emailed me today and said Eva kicked a kid in the crotch at school. So there’s that. 

Day 5: Wednesday

This morning I woke up to a photo of the eggs you were offered in Vietnam. OMG! (Oh my gag!)

Our house has been overtaken with donuts. Your mom showed up with donuts on Halloween. Then the neighbors brought us a dozen donuts. Then, when we trick or treated at your mom’s house, your mom gave each of the kids another donut. Guess what Zoe wants to take to school for her birthday tomorrow? Donuts! 

Today was pretty uneventful. I ran a lot of meaningless errands as to avoid housework. I started taking down all the Halloween decorations, but didn’t have the umph to finish.

Day 6: Zoe’s Birthday

We have another 11-year-old in the house!

Zoe woke up dark & early and made me sing Happy Birthday to her. Then she insisted on playing the Switch before school because it’s her birthday. She got dressed up in her homemade birthday sash, and then we went and picked up her donuts and took them to the school.

I am so sick of donuts.

I spent a few hours picking apart our Christmas tree in the back yard today. I clipped most of the decorations off and took off the lights. I’m getting rid of the tree after 20 years.

Daisy had a dance performance this afternoon, and she debuted her own choreography, which she hasn’t let us see because she wanted us to be surprised. I was so proud of her that I cried through the whole thing. I took a video, but she won’t let me show you. She wants you to wait and see it on stage with costumes.

We went out for Chinese food for Zoe’s birthday. Zoe chugged two glasses of water before her dinner came out, and then she was too full of liquid to eat. 

I bought Zoe and Eva new coats today, and by the fact that they wore them the rest of the night, I’m guessing they like them. 

Day 7: Friday

When we bought a new van a few weeks ago, I knew an appliance would go out within the month. I didn’t expect it to go like this:

Day 8: Saturday

You FaceTimed me from the Taipei Taiwan temple grounds today. You were headed to church in an English speaking ward. 

We had a bit of a lazy day. I let the girls play Roblox for way too long, but I also made them help me clean. I got the last of the Halloween decorations put away, but they are sitting in two giant bins stacked in the middle of the living room waiting for a big, strong man to move them for me (I mean, I could do it, but why?) I vacuumed up tons and tons of glass from the oven. I knocked most of it out, but little bits just keep falling, so I just keep vacuuming. I ordered a new oven, but it won’t be here until next Saturday. 

I dyed my hair a little lighter and covered my roots. I’ll be gray again by the time you get home.

Today is Michelle’s 40th birthday. We celebrated with a Turkey dinner at her house. I made stuffing in our broken oven.

Day 9: Sunday

Daylight Saving Time ended today. I remembered last night, but I forgot this morning, so I got up when I thought it was 8:00 and started getting ready for church. I was about to wake up the kids when I checked my watch and saw that it was 7:22. I was almost one of those people who show up an hour early to church! 

I was set apart for my new calling, and then I hit choir practice and squeaked my way through the songs (my voice is strained from the stupid cough I’ve had for three weeks). 

I tried to be a good mom today. I played games with the kids, dealt patiently with their fighting, and walked with Eva up to your mom’s house. 

Day 10: Monday

From this photo you sent from Taiwan, I can tell you are truly suffering!

Today was long. I’m writing this at 6:30 pm, but it feels like 9:30. We still have two hours until Daisy’s dance class… which I have to attend because it’s “parent watch day.” It was dark by 5:30, so I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be leaving the house.

I did lots of laundry today, did makeup at the high school for a run through of the musical, then came home and did more laundry. 

The Tooth Fairy is coming for Eva tonight! She pulled out a tooth during dinner.

Day 11: Tuesday

This morning I made a legit omelette. Not an omelette turned scramble. 

I have conquered the mighty omelette!

I also cleaned Zoe and Eva’s room, so today pretty much deserves trophies all around. 

Day 12: Wednesday

Took Daisy to school. Took Zoe to Lego League. Took Eva to school. Worked on The Little Mermaid Set at the high school for six hours. Picked up Daisy from school. Picked up Zoe from school. Made dinner. Picked up Eva from Tennis & Tutoring. Took Eva to my mom’s house. Put Zoe in the bath. Took Daisy to Young Women. Picked up Eva from my mom’s house. Put Eva in the bath. Tucked everyone in bed.

Thank you and goodnight.

Day 13: Thursday 

McDonald’s raised their drink prices overnight. So long, $1 large Cokes. Yesterday my Coke cost $1.08 with tax. Today it was $1.40. 

I’m quitting again on Monday. Or maybe for Chinese New Year of 2024. Time will tell.

Our fence got tagged (again) last night as well as all the usual neighbors’ fences. I had to wait for the frost to melt off so I could go out and paint it. 

The weather has been amazing while you’ve been gone. This has been a perfect fall! But we had quite a bit of frost this morning. 

Zoe had her Hope of America program at the school tonight. That girl loves to perform! 

Boys have stopped by three times by dark of night to talk to Daisy while you’ve been gone. They are noisy. 

Tonight mom told me I look like I have a fever. I love when she tries to convince me that I’m sick. 

As of tonight, you are en route to home. Manila to Tokyo to LA to Salt Lake. See you in 24 hours.

Day 13: Friday

I did more set work at the high school today. I had big dreams of welcoming you home to a clean(ish) house with a home-cooked meal, but instead you came home to a normal (for us) messy house and Costco pizza.

The good news is… you made it back safe and sound.

The bad news is… you never had to poop in one of those Cambodian floor holes.

Ring-a-Ling

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #7: 

Jewelry

I picked out my own wedding ring. It wasn't really any surprise to anyone that Scotty and I were going to get married. We were pretty much engaged to be engaged for four years. I had our appointment scheduled at the temple before I had the ring on my finger (you have to be ahead of the game if you're getting married the week after the semester ends). I just had this rule that Scotty couldn't formally propose to me until I was 19, so with our wedding date already scheduled, we waited to make things “official.” I believed that I would peak in maturity and be ready for marriage after that special occasion. Scotty met my demands and proposed three days after my birthday. 

Since I picked out my ring while I was still 18, I definitely took a status symbol approach to it. The sample ring I chose was a karat, but we had a half-karat budget. When I saw how tiny my diamond was (in comparison to what I envisioned based on the ring I'd picked out at the store) I was pretty disappointed. If only I'd waited until I was 19 to choose my ring... I'm sure I would have been far more grateful and practical in my expectations. 

I ended up only wearing my ring for the first year of our marriage. I got fat fingers quickly. To this day, I've never done anything about it. It turns out, the farther I've gotten from age 19, the less a status symbol the ring has become.  For the last 19 years (apparently 19 is the number of the day), I haven't worn a wedding ring, and wouldn’t you know! No one has even hit on me!

Every year when our anniversary rolls around, I think I'm going to get my ring sized for my anniversary. And I never do. It's on my perpetual to do list. 

Oh, but Scotty? He has to wear a ring. I'm not saying all the ladies are gonna be up in his grill if he takes it off, but I'm also not going to take any chances. I have staked my claim!

How I Live After Hours

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #22: 

After Hours

In our current phase of parenting, we don’t really enforce a bed time for Nicky (16) and Daisy (13.9). We just ask them to be wise about what time to go to sleep so they don’t suffer so much in the morning, and they’re pretty good about it. Zoe (10.8) and Eva (8) still have bed time - there’s not an “official” time, but on school nights we try to have them in bed by 9:00. On the weekends, as long as they aren’t fighting, we let them stay up as late as they want. Zoe is good about going to bed at a reasonable time. Eva is more of a night owl, but she usually gets pretty tired and ends up going to bed by 10:30-11:00 at the latest.

I’ve been getting up pretty early now that the kids are back in school. Some days I walk with my friends at 5:45, and I usually end up waking up before my alarm goes off at 5:30. Since I get up early, I can’t make it much past 10:00 p.m. before I pass out. 

During the time between putting Zoe and Eva to bed and falling asleep, myself, there are a lot of things I want to do. Nothing productive, mind you, other than spending time with Scotty. When the girls get in bed, we have to put the house in lockdown so they will go to sleep. This is not a time to clean or do work. This is a time for darkness and silence, save for the forest sounds that Zoe likes to listen to for twenty minutes every night on the Echo. So Scotty and I retreat to our bedroom and Nicky and Daisy head to one of the lower levels of the house (we have four levels which makes our house sound big, but that’s not how it goes. It’s about 1,900 sq ft). 

If all goes well and the girls aren’t fighting in their room, Scotty and I will usually watch a few minutes of a show (we have a TV in our bedroom. I’ll own up to this sin. You wanna know the best part? It’s a 50” TV! You can judge us. I don’t care!) Scotty always goes to sleep pretty quickly. If he had it his way, all the kids would be in bed by 8:00 pm, and he would be snoring away by 8:05. But to his dismay, he doesn’t get to conk out until more like 9:15 (we watch shows together in 15 minute increments. It’s taken us about three weeks to get through The Hobbit).

After he falls asleep, I stay up for a while and live my night life. There is so much I want to do during this time - watch shows, read, text my friends, blog, scroll through recipes on my phone, contemplate the mysteries of the universe, etc. So I do those things until I pass out. I usually end with reading, and I know it’s time to stop when I start sleep reading, which is when I swear I fall asleep with my eyes open and begin dreaming a new plot to the book while still scanning the words. That’s when I put my phone down (I usually opt for an e-book at night), and roll over and fall asleep (Oooo another sin! Looking at my phone right before bed! I am truly reckless!)

For most of society, I go to bed “early.” But in my marriage, I’m the wild one who stays up late! It always feels like I live a whole other life after Scotty goes to sleep! Forty-five-ish minutes of adventure in a dark, quiet house. This very post is a product of that time. At least… the first half. The second half was written at 5:30 the next morning when I was wide awake even though I canceled walking with my friends so I could “sleep in” since my kids didn’t have school.

A Very Disney Anniversary

Tuesday was Scotty’s and my 20th wedding anniversary. Every time we reach a milestone anniversary (which seems to be any anniversary divisible by five), I feel like we should do something special, but we made the mistake of getting married in May, and we didn’t know that getting married in May and having a family meant that we would always be too broke and too busy on our anniversary to ever do anything more than (maybe) get Chinese food three weeks later. 

As our 20th anniversary approached, I really wanted to do something, and I wanted to do it as near to our actual wedding date as possible, so I suggested to Scotty that we make a plan. We considered a few options and decided to go to Disneyland because A) we had Sky Miles, B) it’s close enough to make a quick trip, and C) it’s familiar enough that we don’t feel like we need to do every single thing there. 

We ended up booking a really short trip (60 hours total - the only way we could make it happen during May), and with the help of our moms, we went to Disneyland! We flew out Saturday night after Eva’s baptism and came home Tuesday morning (following a three-hour flight delay due to the airplane needing a tire change).

The night we left (Top Gun vibes?)

Rainbow over Delta

Scotty and I had never been to Disneyland just the two of us, so we thought it would be an interesting marriage test. Luckily, we had a lot of fun and came home agreeing to stay married.

Since I’m an enthusiast for documenting events, here is the rundown of what we did for two days at Disneyland (yes, I kept notes. It's what I do):

DAY 1: Sunday

8:00 a.m. California Adventure

Rope dropped Guardians of the Galaxy (x2)

Breakfast at Pym Test Kitchen

Behold my tiny egg

Web Slingers

Soarin’ Over the World

Radiator Springs Racers

Food break (tacos, bread pudding, sourdough loaf)

Best Fast Sunday ever!

Little Mermaid

Incredicoaster 

Midway Mania

Goofy’s Sky School

Soarin’ Over the World

PARK HOP: Disneyland

Jungle Cruise

Pirates of the Caribbean

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Food break: Golden Horseshoe (chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, fries, peach cobbler sundae)

Splash Mountain

Haunted Mansion

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Food break: chimichanga

Snow White

Pinocchio

Magic Happens Parade

Small World

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Food break (Scotty): cream cheese pretzel

Shopping (Britt): sweatshirt

Indiana Jones

Buzz

HyperSpace Mountain

Autopia

Train from Tomorrowland to Fantasy Land

Story Book Boats

Peter Pan

Total rides: 27

DAY 2: Monday

8:00 a.m. Disneyland

Rope dropped HyperSpace Mountain

Food break: breakfast chimichangas

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Pirates of the Caribbean

Food break: beignets

Jungle Cruise

Pirates of the Caribbean

Indiana Jones

Haunted Mansion

Splash Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Food break: hamburger (Britt), chimichanga (Scotty)

Alice

Mr. Toad

[Scotty nap on bench]

HyperSpace Mountain

Food break: pastries

Pastries

PARK HOP: California Adventure

Radiator Springs Racers

Midway Mania

Food break: Mickey pretzel (Britt)

Goofy’s Sky School

Guardians of the Galaxy

Monsters Inc

Food break: shawarma (Scotty)

Mater

Soarin’ Over the World

Little Mermaid

Incredicoaster

Food break: sourdough Mickey

Incredicoaster

Total rides: 22

On Tuesday we had to get up at 4:45 to catch a Lyft to the airport at 5:00. As previously mentioned, our flight ended up delayed for a few hours, but we were kid free, so it was tolerable. 

Here are some comments and memories from the trip:

I discovered that I have a very distinct "woo" I do on rides. I also make a lot of sound effects throughout the day - especially "boop" and "wahwah." I didn't even realize that I did these things until I got away from my kids' constant noise for 60 hours and was left to face Scotty's and my noises. Speaking of which... Scotty whistles or hums constantly. I mean... I knew he whistled (Zoe does it, too) but I didn't realize how much!

Sunday was Goth Day at Disneyland and Monday was Star Wars Nite, so there were some great people watching opportunities. And so many lightsabers. So very many.

We officially rode Splash Mountain for the last time (since it is closing this month and will be renovated to Tiana's Bayou Adventure). I decided I'd go big and take the front seat. I've ridden in the front before, but this was definitely the wettest I've gotten! In fact, I never dried off.

Before

After

Back in 2016, I discovered that if you sit in the front seat on Incredicoaster (at the time it was California Screamin') at dusk, you will get hit in the face repeatedly by swarms of bugs. I can confirm that this is still true. 

I'm deeply bothered by some of the impractical outfits people wear to Disneyland. Please wear proper footwear and secure your boobs. No one needs a nip slip on Guardians of the Galaxy. 

I am also deeply bothered by the foul language I overheard in Disneyland. That hasn't been a major problem in the past, but holy moly! There were 'F' words flying all over the place. I'm finding more and more that people no longer hold their tongues around children. It makes me really sad. 

I've always thought the food prices at Disney parks were atrocious, but now that the cost of everything has gone up so much everywhere else, Disney food doesn't seem so bad anymore. Even though Disney has raised prices for a lot of things, their food prices don't seem to have increased at the rate of everything else (when they read my blog, they'll raise everything. Just wait!) 

Trying to stay soda sober at Disneyland was so hard! I love drinking Coke at Disneyland, and the second I walked in, I was tempted at every angle. I can't even tell you how many times I almost broke down and bought a Coke. Then, finally, during the last two hours at California Adventure, I made the decision that I was going to have a Coke. Just one. And I remembered something... they have paper straws. I hate paper straws and always take my own straws to Disney parks, but this time I didn't because I wasn't going to drink any soda. That is what got me through. My hate of paper straws is stronger than my love of Coke. Thus I remain 129 days soda sober.

During the last few years, while I've been away from Disneyland (my last trip was December 2019), I've been exposed to some "influencer Disney culture" (not even on purpose! I don't follow any of it - but you know how the algorithms be), and I started to get a tainted view of what Disneyland is like. I was worried that I'd get there, and it would be full of Disney Bounders and influencers, and that the whole place would be overrun by Tik Tok trends. I definitely saw some of that, but it was minimal, and I'm happy to report that Disneyland is still Disneyland... full of tired, screaming children; arguing spouses; and people who can't walk straight. And while I hate all that, I'm just happy that Disneyland is still full of normal people. 

Speaking of arguing spouses...

Scotty and I hate Autopia, and we were like, "It's so nice not having the kids here because we don't have to ride stupid Autopia!" But then the sun went down, and I was like, "Hey, have we ever ridden Autopia in the dark?" and Scotty was like, "No! I don't think so!" so we decided to ride it. Suddenly we became an elderly couple arguing on the road for the entire ride! Scotty drove while I nagged him about following too close. We hit our twentieth anniversary and turned into Scotty's parents!

I've been to Disneyland somewhere between 22-25 times (I tried to figure it out while we were there, but I couldn't get an exact number), and I've never bought myself a clothing item from there. I didn't take a jacket, and I never dried from Splash Mountain, so I was freezing. I ended up buying my first Disneyland shirt ever! It's laughably low quality, and I look like a fruity, alcoholic beverage in it, but I have arrived!

After Splash Mountain got the best of me

We usually run into someone we know any time we go to Disneyland. This time we didn't, and we're still shocked. However, there was a man I walked past that I know I've seen before. I wish I would have seen his kids so I could see if I recognize them. 

We didn't even step foot in Galaxy's Edge.

As you can see in one of the photos above, I took a word puzzle book in the park with me, and I was perfectly happy playing my word games while waiting in line. De. Light. Ful.  

-----

And there you have my re-cap of what may be my 25th trip to Disneyland, but I really don't know. But for sure, it was my first trip to with just Scotty, and I'm not opposed to 24 more. 

Your Mom Likes to Date

My Church strongly encourages youth to not start dating until age 16. This was a hard principle to observe as a 14 year old who was head over heels in love with a high school senior. Fortunately, Scotty was really shy and reserved and didn't make any moves on me at that young age. Our romantic life consisted of him driving past my house every night on his way home from work and waving... even though my house was not on the route home.

One spring evening, my brother came in my room and told me there was a phone call for me. I had the thought that it might be Scotty - a secret hope that flared up every time there was a phone call for me, but talking on the phone wasn't something Scotty and I really did. So imagine my surprise and fluttering teenage heart when it actually was Scotty. He was calling to invite me to his high school graduation and then to dinner with his mom and step-dad.

I was so excited and terrified. I arrived at the graduation with Scotty and his mom and step-dad. Then Scotty left us (to go be a graduate), and I was alone with his parents. I have no recollection of how that went, but I'm sure I wrote about it in my journal.

After Scotty's graduation ceremony, we went to a restaurant, and I had no idea how to act or what to order. It was like a date because I was there with Scotty, but it also wasn’t like a date because I wasn’t 16 yet, and we were with his parents. I remember being completely awkward about the entire situation, and I was probably a huge disappointment conversationally. At the end of the meal, I needed to pee really bad, but I was too embarrassed to excuse myself to use the restroom.

As we drove away from the restaurant, Scotty's mom proposed that I come to their house to watch Summer of the Monkeys. I had zero desire to watch Summer of the Monkeys, but to spend more time with Scotty, I was willing to suffer many afflictions.

I accepted the invitation, but there was one problem - I still needed to pee. 

We ended up swinging past Blockbuster to get the movie, and then Scotty's mom made a brilliant suggestion that we stop by my house so I could change clothes (I wore a dress to the graduation). I was so relieved because I was fully planning on holding my bladder for the entire movie, which I'm sure would have caused me to implode. 

That night, during the movie, Scotty held my hand for the first time right in front of his mom! I wanted to crawl under a rock and die, and yet, I was the happiest girl on earth. I couldn't help but think how weird it was that we were basically on a double-date with his parents. I would have rather pulled my fingernails out than be in that situation with my own parents. 

Now Scotty and I have been married for nearly twenty years, and we have a son who is turning 16 really soon. 

The other day, I was daydreaming about all of the events I want to attend in the coming year, some of which I want to take Nicky to, and I had the thought, "Oh! He might want to bring a date. I wonder if I should plan on buying an extra ticket!"

And then I realized... the tides have turned! I've become my mother-in-law. I just assume my son wants to go on double dates with me! I had to check myself. Britt, maybe your son doesn't want to bring dates when he goes places with you! But then Nah! Why wouldn't he?

So now I'm in a phase of life where I totally expect my son to be cool bringing his dates around me, and that might not be how things really are. I'll get a copy of Summer of the Monkeys ready just in case.

(Though I'm not sure I want to sit through that again).

Throw Pillows, South America, and a Little Tom Cruise for Good Measure

Now that COVID isn't as much of a threat, Scotty has resumed traveling for work. A few months ago, he went to Mexico. Right now he's in South America. Normally, I don't write anything on my blog about him being out of town until he comes back, but I'm making an exception this time. He'll be happy to know that I haven't purchased any animals while he's been gone. I settled for throw pillows, some pricey hair products, and two new shirts... for now. There's still time...

(Or is there? I'm not going to tell you, Internet!)

People are often curious about why Scotty travels, so let me fill you in. He works for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (our church). For a few years, he worked with temples, and he traveled quite a bit for that. Then, last year he took a new position working with religious clothing. Part of his responsibilities include finding vendors and manufacturers to produce temple garments. This has been a bit of a challenge and adventure due to the supply shortages of the past few years. Latin America produces a lot of textiles, so Scotty has been going to trade shows and visiting manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. 

Whenever Scotty is out of town, I have to deal with things. I don't want to use any adjectives to describe the things that happen while he's gone because I don't want the universe to try and prove anything to me along the lines of "it could be worse." So I just try to optimistically deal with whatever comes my way. This time, our swamp cooler died, Zoe started having chronic nosebleeds, my laptop began shooting sparks, and our garage got overtaken by mice. Thank heavens for Nicky (my Mini Scotty). He climbed up on the roof about a dozen times and went with me to Lowe's three times to buy parts for the swamp cooler. We got it fixed to the point where it can run on low. If we turn it on high, it shuts down, but low will suffice for now. Nicky has also taken care of all the mice. I think we've caught five so far - one wasn't dead, and he made it dead, and I told him not to tell me about it, but he hasn't stopped telling me about it. 

It dawned on me a few days ago that my kids have gone back to school without their dad around. Scotty hasn't been here while we've developed and gotten used to a back to school routine. He's going to come home to a completely different life than he left (assuming he makes it home - I'm being positive but realistic here). He and I have already discussed the fact that I'll be mad at him for about a week when he gets home (I always am - I rock at life while he's gone because I have to, and then when he comes home, I unleash all my emotions), and I'll repeatedly say things to him like, "That's not how we do things!" Somehow, we're going to have to find his place in our routine. I just hope he's okay with my new tradition of putting the kids to bed and staying up til midnight watching Tom Cruise movies. 

Three Tales

The Ladybug's Tale

Last night Scotty went for a run. When he came home, I noticed something dark on the back of his neck. My first thought was that it was a tick since he’d just returned from camping a few days prior and had found three ticks on him while he was gone. 

Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a small ladybug. Scotty was about to get in the shower, so he took the ladybug off his neck and put it on the bathroom counter.

A day later, the ladybug is still in the bathroom. So I guess it just lives there now. 

Yes, this photo was taken from the toilet. Don't judge me!

A Tale of Big, Dumb Ideas

While Scotty was camping, I was desperate to keep my girls busy. We have an old playset in our backyard that we started to refinish several years ago and never finished. 

I decided to get out all my old paint from the garage and shed and let the girls paint it however they wanted. I knew it wouldn't be pretty, but I imagined them painting rainbows, flowers, and sunsets and having a joyous time.

Instead, I got this.

I have regrets.

The Tell Tale Tooth 

Throughout our marriage, Scotty and I have always thrown our change into an old pot and cashed it in every few years or so to use toward a vacation. It's usually enough to sponsor a few gas station snacks on a road trip. We call it our "pot money."

Today, Nicky and I went to the bank and cashed in our coins for an upcoming trip. The bank teller has to take the coins and dump them in a machine to count them. Then we can cash out in bills or deposit the balance in our account. Every time we do this, the teller brings back a few random items from our pot - usually car wash tokens, Canadian currency, and a stray thumb tack or golf tee. 

Today, the teller returned with our receipt for $102.95. Then he said, "Here's your screw, your key ring, and your tooth."

Then he handed me the inventory, and sure enough, there was a tooth. And a weird looking tooth, at that. 

 

In shock, I stuttered, "I have no idea why there was a tooth in there!" but every word felt like a cover story for some sick tooth fetish or something. There is a walk of shame I didn't previously know, and that is when your bank teller finds a tooth in your money and places it in your hand, and you have to leave the facility. 

I really didn't know where the tooth came from, but when Scotty got home, the mystery unraveled... kind of. When I showed Scotty the tooth, he said, "Oh! It's my grandpa's!" You see... Scotty inherited some of his grandpa's teeth. I don't know why his grandpa's teeth aren't in his grandpa's mouth. But apparently Grandpa had some gold crowns, and he kept his teeth to sell someday, and those teeth now belong to my husband. As you can see from the photo, the crown is missing from the tooth. Scotty sold it for a few bucks, and somehow the rest of the tooth ended up in our pot. 

How? Why? That is the remaining mystery as well as how and why the teeth were removed from Grandpa's body in the first place. 

We Scare Because We Care

Lately Scotty has been intrigued with the story of Joseph Henry Loveless, a criminal from Utah whose body (or parts of it) were found in a cave in Dubois, Idaho in the 70’s.

You should definitely click the link and read the story, but if you need the quick version, here it is:

Known as “the Bootlegger,” Joseph killed his wife with an axe in 1916, then he went missing. In the 70's someone found his torso wrapped in burlap in the cave in Dubois. In the 90's, an 11-year-old girl found a hand sticking out of the ground while exploring the same cave (poor girl). After some excavating (by professionals), both arms and legs were recovered. The identity of the body was only confirmed early last year through a DNA sample from Joseph's grandson. 

His head is yet to be found... and the Bootlegger is said to haunt the cave. 

[insert ghoulish music here]

Anyway, the cave is now a haunted attraction, and Scotty really wants to go sometime due to his enthusiasm for caves and scary stories. I'm not big on ghost stories, but I'm always intrigued by murder stories. I'm one of those weirdos - it taps into my fascination with human behavior. So I don’t care much about the haunted part of the story, but I definitely want to know who killed the Bootlegger and what they did with his head!

Over the weekend, Scotty told the story of Joseph Henry Loveless to his mom (another ghost story enthusiast)... in front of our three daughters... who are scared of everything. I was thinking, "Oh dear, this could be bad." Then Scotty found a YouTube clip where a lady talks about how they haven't found the Bootlegger's head, and it must be found and returned to the body so the Bootlegger will stop haunting the cave. Of course, he loaded the video on the big screen and watched it in front of the kids.

Shortly after this, Eva asked me, "Mom, is the Bootlegger real?" and I said, "No, that's just a silly Halloween story that Grandma and Daddy like to tell." 

[Lies].

Then Scotty's mom started telling ghost stories. My mother-in-law has had a lot of "experiences" in her life and is, I guess, what you would call, "sensitive to spirits." She has always claimed that her own house is haunted, as did the previous owner. Her house is really old. In fact, it was originally an underground house, and everything above ground was added later (though the above-ground portion of the house is very old too). 

Here's a not-great photo of her basement from the year we had to have our Easter hunt down there in a snow storm. It's hard to see the details, but if you look closely, you can see that the floor is stone. It's the perfect setting for a haunting... or a murder... not so much an Easter hunt, but we made it work. 

With her home being so old, there are some interesting stories about her property. Supposedly there are at least two babies buried in her back yard, and someone wearing boots died back there. Scotty's mom says she hears someone walking up the stairs in boots. There are also stories of laughing children and water turning on and off. My mother-in-law claims that they are "good" spirits and not menacing, so they are not scary, but that wasn’t a very convincing fact for my kids whom I’ve told for years that ghosts aren’t real. 

After all this scary talk, I knew we were in for it. I knew that Zoe and Daisy would be a wreck that night, and we would find ourselves dealing with all sorts of new fears and anxieties. 

But it didn't stop there...

Eva is apparently the next generation to be fascinated by ghosts. My mother-in-law ended up breaking out a book of scary stories, and Eva asked her to read story after story. 

Eva became obsessed with this illustration of "the wolf girl:"

She kept asking to see it over and over again. Then she ended up bringing the book home from Grandma's house so she could look at the wolf girl some more. We gathered around to watch Wheel of Fortune on Sunday night (Donny Osmond was on - he did terrible), and Eva brought her scary book and flipped through it the whole time. Then she asked Scotty to take her upstairs and read her more scary stories 

The photo in this post was taken by Eva on my phone. She said, "Mom, I took a picture of the wolf girl on your phone so we can always remember her."

My kid is weird. 

Anyway, that night, all three girls (even wolf-girl-obsessed Eva) refused to go in any rooms alone. We had to escort them everywhere they went. The three of them insisted on sleeping in the same bedroom, and we had to sit nearby until they fell asleep. Would it be just a one-night thing? Oh, heck no. I'm anticipating months of this. Years, even. 

Since Sunday, Zoe has been asking in her prayers that someone will find the Bootlegger's head and return it to the Bootlegger's body so he will stop haunting the cave. I guess we'll see if it turns up sometime. I think Scotty would love to be the one to find it. He just needs to get himself to Clark County, Idaho. 

What Dreams are Made Of

One way that Scotty and I are very different is in the way we dream. I'm a very vivid dreamer - I have dreams every time I sleep. My mind bounces from subject to subject, sometimes convincing me that I’m a closet genius while other times making me believe I’m utterly insane. Scotty rarely dreams, so when he does have a dream, he's usually a little weirded out by it. 

Just last night I dreamed that I had to kill a batch of Ramen that was coming alive, so I was grabbing handfuls of noodles and shoving them in the garbage disposal to grind them up. And then, just to ensure their demise, I poured bleach into the disposal and let it run for hours. Then I ran out of bleach so I went to Walmart, and I was wearing a really long sweater that dragged on the ground, but it made me look really skinny, so I kept checking out my reflection in the store windows. Then I realized I’d accidentally driven two cars to the store, so I wandered around trying to find someone I knew to see if they could drive one of my cars home. I ran into Jill from my ward, who is a school teacher, and she asked me to participate in a walk out with all the teachers on Sunday at 9:00. I didn't want to join because I didn't know the cause. Then suddenly I was in singing time at church, and I had a new Apple watch, but I had no idea how to use it, and it kept making noise, and every kid in primary was claiming to be an Apple watch expert, so we wasted the entire singing time fiddling with my watch, and none of the kids actually knew a dang thing. Then the Ward Critics went and told the bishop that they didn't approve of me letting the kids use my Apple watch during singing time, so he called me in and told me that if I let the kids use my Apple watch in primary, I need to download a Ninja Turtle game on my watch for them to play.

And that, my friends, is a typical account of my night life. A lot goes on in this brain of mine while I sleep.

Since I dream all the time, I have a lot of recurring dreams:

1. My teeth are falling out

I always dream about losing my teeth. Sometimes they are loose, and I'm trying everything I can to keep them from coming out. Other times they break apart or crumble in my mouth.

2. I'm back in high school

I have pretty standard high school dreams. I can't remember my locker combination or my schedule. It's the end of the semester, and there's a class I've never been to. I'm on stage with the dance team, and I don't know the choreography. I know that I'm old, and I know that I've already graduated, so I can't figured out why I'm there!

3. I'm at my grandma's house

I dream about both my grandmas' houses all the time. Sometimes I own the house. Sometimes the dream just takes place there. My grandmas’ houses are very prominent settings for me - my dreams take place as often in their houses as they do in my own!

4. I can't get anything clean

I always dream that I'm trying to clean something, and I can't ever get it clean. I'm picking up toys, but no matter how many toys I pick up, the work never ends. Everything is getting messy all around me as I try frantically to get things under control. 

5. I'm dating

I start dating someone, and things are going really well, and I really like the person, but all of a sudden I remember that I'm married. In these dreams, I'm truly in love with Scotty, I just somehow forgot about him long enough to accidentally begin another relationship. Then I’m torn and don’t know what to do because I don’t want to lose Scotty, but I’m also really digging the excitement of my new relationship.

6. Scotty and I never got married

This dream I find very fascinating because in this one, Scotty and I never got married. We live together and have kids as we do now; we just never had a wedding - everyone assumes we did. And it's just a funny, little secret that we keep. Sometimes we decide to get married. Sometimes we decide to tell people, like our bishop, “Hey, we never actually got married!” 

7. Running and going nowhere

I have a lot of dreams where I'm trying to run, but I'm not going anywhere. My legs are completely fatigued to the point where I can barely move them, and after all my efforts, I just can't move forward. 

8. I have a new house

In this one, I have a new house, and it always has some great features - like a really big family room, or a terrific yard, or a spare bedroom! Then suddenly I remember that we never sold our old house, and I think of everything we need to do to get it ready to sell. I get completely overwhelmed and realize I can't have the new house because I can't sell the old house. 

9. My step-dad comes back

At least once or twice a month I dream that my mom's ex-husband comes back into our lives. He shows up at my house, or I go over to my mom's house, and he's living there. I tell her over and over that she can't let him come back. I refuse to talk to him or go near him, but I can't get him to go away. 

10. I can't find anywhere private to go to the bathroom

In this dream, I'm trying so hard to go to the bathroom, but anywhere I go, people walk in on me. None of the bathroom doors lock. Sometimes I'm trying to pee in weird places - like in the woods, in a garbage can, or down a drain. I always get caught. 

I'm not a huge believer in dream interpretation (for the most part I think dream analysis is just the barnum effect), but I definitely believe that our joys and our worries manifest themselves in our dreams. Scotty isn't much of a worrier, and he doesn't get stressed very often. So perhaps that contributes to his quiet mind at night. Or maybe he just has really screwy sleep cycles. He may not worry much in his conscious state, but he is always always tired. 

How about you? Are you a dreamer? Do you share any of my recurring dreams?

Donuts Aren't Sexy After All

Scotty and I don’t have very well-synced waking schedules on the weekend. I tend to wake up around 6:00 and end up laying in bed for way too long. I want to get up and start my day, but if my kids happen to still be asleep, I don’t dare move. I want them to sleep as long as possible, and if I so much as breathe with any slight amount of vigor, they will all come running from their rooms in a chorus of “Can I watch YouTube?” “Get me milk!” “What are we doing today?” Therefore, I lay quietly in my bed even though I’d like to be up for the day using my brief morning burst of energy to do something productive before I turn into a slug, which lately, has been happening by 9:00 a.m. 

Last Saturday, after laying in bed for two hours next to a sleeping Scotty, I decided it was time for him to wake up so our schedules wouldn’t be completely off for the day. Being the thoughtful wife that I am, I rolled over, put my arm around him, and whispered the sexiest thing I could think of… 

“Want to go to Krispy Kreme?”

Normally, this would get Scotty right out of bed for the day, but this time, he startled as if woken by a sudden explosion. His face froze in absolute horror as he laid there trying to find himself in space and time, and he made some disturbing guttural sounds that indicated I am now married to a 40-year-old man.

Eventually he came around and agreed to go to Krispy Kreme but with far less enthusiasm that he would have exhibited at age 39. 

We drove to the nearest Krispy Kreme - a 23 minute drive - only to find that their machine was broken, and they had limited donuts and would therefore, not honor their buy a dozen, get a dozen for $1 deal, nor could we get our free donuts for being vaccinated, nor could we get Scotty's free birthday dozen.

No wonder Scotty didn't find my offer sexy…  

We ended up stopping at a different donut shop because we had told our kids we were going to Krispy Kreme, and we didn't dare come back empty-handed. We'll make another attempt at Krispry Kreme this Saturday... because FREE BIRTHDAY DOZEN!!! But please don't tell them we're coming. We'd like to catch them off-guard and fully functional.

(This was the second time in a row that Krispy Kreme has had problems when we've gone there, and we haven't been able to get donuts).

The Day a Boy Turns 40

This morning I woke up next to a 40-year-old man. Fortunately, it was Scotty. Otherwise this would be a very interesting pronouncement. 

Today is his birthday - the big four, oh! He wouldn’t let me plan any type of gathering, but with this being a milestone birthday, I wanted to do something special to celebrate, so I asked some of our family and friends what they love about Scotty and compiled a list to share with him. I didn’t do it with the intent to post it on my blog, but the answers were so heart-warming and so true to who Scotty is, that I decided to share them here so that his family and friends can read them and nod in agreement with each other’s answers. 

Without further ado… here are the things we love about Scotty!

Lil Scotty

"Because Scotty is so kind, my kids are drawn to him and will let him help with 'scary' things like going down giant inflatable slides and floating in lazy rivers. He also always addresses my children by name and says hello and how are you whenever we see him. He genuinely cares about and is interested in how you are doing." -Darcy, sister-in-law

“I think Scotty is one of the nicest, patient, and non-judgmental people I know.” -Jared, step-brother

“No one yells Banjo Kazooie in the shower on vacation louder than Scotty.” -Chelsea, step-sister

"He's a great life-long friend. Non-judgmental. Never judged me for some of my stupid decisions. Great gamer (or pretends to innocently cheat to win). Always helpful. There for you when you need him. My go to 'Alone' survivalist if the world goes to pot. He will get me through. Good golfer. Tries to make me feel like I'm a decent golfer when I'm not. Really the best kind of friend I could ever ask for." -Chad, friend

Chad and Scotty with their birthday brats

"Just love him like a brother. I agree with what Chad said completely. He's just the best. He’s always so attentive when you're talking to him, and he always acts like everything you're saying is so exciting and important." -Carlie, friend

"His hilarious laugh on the rides at Lagoon." -Brianne, friend and ward member

Mark, Scotty, Kyle

Michelle, me, Brianne

"The way he greets people when he is excited to see them. 'DUDE!!!’ He has a way to approach things with enthusiasm, and it's awesome. Also his passion for DLR and good musicals." -Mark, friend and ward member

Kyle, Mark, and Scotty (i.e. "the band")

“He is fun to be around and always up for an adventure.” -Michelle, friend and ward member

“First thing that comes to mind when I think of Scotty is his Permanent Positive Attitude (PPA). He’s always in a good mood and only talks about positive things. I’m always in a good mood around Scotty.” -Robb, friend and former ward member

Scotty with the bros - three of whom are named Robert

“What I love about Scotty is his great sense of humor and the fact that he makes games and activities so much fun.” -Shirley, friend and ward member

"The way he threatens his kids to 'Have fun or you're going to bed!'" -Tim, brother-in-law

“Scotty always makes everyone feel welcome. Every time there’s a friend that comes over or a new boyfriend of mine, he’s always the first to treat them like they’ve been in the family forever.” -Kaedyn, niece

Scotty and Kaedyn

“Scotty is a great father and husband, adventurous and open, kind and patient, a Godly man but humble, inclusive and non-judgmental. He’s a great example to me. Happy birthday, old man!” -Scott, step-brother

Disneyland Dad

"He is always positive and kind! And always willing to go on a new adventure." -Mindy, sister-in-law

"He is the best teeth checker to make sure teeth have been brushed." -Riley, step-brother

Stevenson, Riley, and Scotty before a Spartan race

"I love how he is always so adventurous. He's a really, really good dad. I consider him to be one of the smartest people I know because of how he can fix or create just about anything. I love how much he loves vacation and Disneyland. I love how he's always willing to help whenever I ask. He will literally drop everything sometimes and do it right away. I love how he doesn't care what people think of him, and he's still just a big kid." -Anonymous, step-sister 

Scotty being a kid

"I love that he loves Disneyland so much that he invented a boys' trip to Disneyland. He's very patient, friendly, and laughs easily. I also appreciate that he liked the Chili's corn chips when I accidentally burned them in the microwave. He thought they tasted good." -Melissa, step-sister

“I love how he gets excited over the little things.” -Kyle, step-brother

"What can I say, I'm his mom. He has always been a joy and comfort to me. He has made me laugh when I wanted to cry. He can handle any situation. Ideas just come natural to him. He is a fabulous provider. He's so giving with his time, and he knows how to fix our electronic problems. Heaven blessed me the day Scotty was born!! He makes me proud to call him my son." -Jackie, mom

Scotty and his mom with the kids

(at Disneyland, of course)

 

“I ask him for advice or why what I’m doing isn’t working, and he always has the right thing to say, and he has the knowledge to tell me how to do it. He’s always willing to help with anything. He’s super fun on vacations or just short getaways. I love all the adventures he does throughout the year. I love him, and I’m so proud of who he has become.” -Craig, dad

Zoe, Scotty, Craig (Scotty's dad), and Kyle (Scotty's brother)

"I love how accepting and loving Scotty is to everyone. He makes everyone feel comfortable." -LuAnn, step-mom

"He buyed me Minecraft, and he loves us." -Zoe, daughter

Scotty introducing Baby Zoe to Mickey Mouse

"He always takes me to McDonald's." -Eva, daughter

Scotty with two-week-old Eva at the pinewood derby

"He takes us on vacations. He's the one that drives us." -Daisy, daughter

Scotty mini golfing with Daisy in South Carolina

“I love that he’s willing to help whoever even if he’d rather be doing something else.” -Nicky, son

“Scotty is always smiling.” -Kayla, step-sister

Scotty... smiling

"Scotty is a brother that has always carried an amazing heart. I reflect quite often of our lives together and my gratitude for his love, kindness, and passive character... When we are together, I feel a kind of strength that is specific to him. I am always very proud of Scotty when people report to me how kind an individual he is... Thank you for selecting me as your brother." -Kyle, brother

Lil Kyle and Scotty

"I love how Scotty is easy going about the right things and gets super excited about other things (like bidets and food and fishing, not in any particular order). He's always entertaining to play games with, he is awesome with kids, he's a great example of someone willing to serve and help others, and he works hard." -Katie, sister-in-law

This man loves to fish!

"I liked that one Christmas sweater he wore that one time at the Christmas party, I thought that was really funny. I love his sense of humor and that he can have good serious conversations too." -Scarlett, niece

"I like going on fishing trips with him. I like how he's funny and witty and always beats my dad in arguments." -Avanlee, niece

Daisy, Nicky, Scotty, and Avanlee

 "I really like how he is open and likes to do activities with us. I like that he has a good attitude with a lot of things, and I feel really happy around him because of his personality." -Asher, nephew

"I love how he's always willing to help people no matter what the cost and that he's so funny. He's an amazing uncle, the best uncle!" -Juliet, niece

Scotty holding Juliet and Daisy

"I like that he has nice kids. He's an amazing uncle. He's nice and everyone in his family is." -Gwen, niece

“What I love/enjoy/appreciate about Scotty is his love of life and people. personally, Scotty makes me feel like I’m his favorite person. Every time I see him he gets excited and has a sincere interest in knowing how I am doing and what’s going on in my life. Every single moment I have spent with Scotty has been filled with laughter and fun and has left me feeling uplifted. In the Board of Directors for my life, Scotty has a chair.” -Stevenson, friend

“I like that he has a sense of humor, loves outdoor adventures with the family, works hard, is a good example, does projects around the house, and most importantly, loves Brittany and the kids.” -Shawnna, mother-in-law

“That’s what I was going to say.” -Ron, father-in-law

The only time my dad has ever 'smiled' for a photo

"Scotty is always happy. He is always smiling. He is an outstanding father. He is the kind of dad that everyone wants to be. He put up with his mother-in-law's crazy parties. He is a great and righteous example to his family. He is a hard worker and has always been able to support his family with their needs. He sets a good example by living a gospel centered life. He loves unconditionally. He has an amazing amount of patience. He always makes time to help anyone that asks. He never missed an opportunity to serve others. His sense of humor is the best, and he passes it on to his kids. He doesn't take life too seriously. He doesn't let things bother him. He leads a simple, uncomplicated life. He loves to plan vacations. He's the best travel guide. He's very creative. He's very talented. He's a child at heart. He always has a rope if you need one." -Jill, mother-in-law

Scotty with his rope

"Scotty is super patient and kind. I've always admired those traits in him and looked up to him because of it. It made me really happy as I grew up knowing that my sister would be protected and cared for by such a great person." -Brock, brother-in-law

Believe it or not.. this used to be us!

“I love how Scotty is always willing to help, isn’t afraid to act child-like, and is always good for a laugh.” -Michelle, sister-in-law

“My favorite memory is when we had a paintball war in Grandpa’s field.” -Drew, step-brother

“For me, Scotty has been so kind and welcoming to me and my kiddos. It’s meant so much everyone has been so nice and made us feel like family.” -Caroline, sister-in-law

“He calls the Royal Red Robin Burger ‘The Vegan Hater.’ He (with his beautiful bride) loves games, and we love when they teach and share with us the cool ones. He loves his wife and kids the most. He goes on numerous double date nights with us crazies. He supports and loves his wife and gives her Christmas gifts to go see Hugh Jackman with her girlfriends. He has the best laugh.” -Christie, friend

“He always has a smile on his face and just has a really relaxed demeanor. He doesn’t want to stress about the small stuff. He would rather laugh about it.” -Brian, friend

As these comments about Scotty rolled in, I was overwhelmed with the realization of how blessed I am to get to be the one to share my life with him. He is truly an incredible person. He is a wonderful husband and father, a peacemaker, and a problem solver. He is giving, adventurous, and humble. He is joyful and makes me laugh like no one else. I’ve seen him at his best, and I’ve seen him at his worst, and I love him for all of it! I feel honored to be among his friends and family in wishing him a happy 40th birthday!

We love you, Scotty! Thanks for bringing so much light and joy into our lives.