Or so she says...

Forever My Valentine ~ My Turn!

2012-02-10T05:00:00.004-07:00

Well, I figured I should probably take a turn, and let you all in on my deep, dark secrets.

(This is kinda a funny picture. It's just a snapshot that my brother took, outside a condo my family was staying in, in Park City. Dan thinks its funny to grab my boob in every nice picture we have, so I'm trying to hold his hand down, and as you can see...he's trying to work it up.) :)

How did you meet?

Well. Okay. So, back in high school, my best friend (who has since passed away) used to be friends with Dan's (my hubs) little brother. My friend, Katie, always thought that Dan was hot and stole a picture of him, from his brother. She had his picture up on her wall, mixed in with all the pictures of her friends. So, I used to see this picture of Dan on a regular basis, because I practically lived at Katie's house. I thought he was hot, based on his picture, too...but, I didn't know him, he had a girlfriend, and that was that. Fast forward a few years. The picture is still on her wall, and he has broken up with his girlfriend. He just returned home from an LDS mission and I wanted to snag him before anyone else did. So, I worked my magic and conveniently placed myself around him, whenever I got the chance. It helped that we went to the same church building and had a mutual friend, oh, and of course that I had some slick moves. Soon enough, he asked me out. We dated, were totally smitten, and then we broke up. To this day, he still kicks me for breaking up with him. But, you know...what can you do? We got back together, thanks to his super humble and forgiving personality, and have been living happily ever after for almost 12 years now. Oh, and I should probably say, that Katie finally parted with her picture of my new boyfriend. Besides, at that point, she had one of her own! Oh, I miss her!! But, anyway...that's how Dan and I met, in a nutshell.

(I think our father-in-law snagged this picture of us, a long time ago, at a birthday party. That's what we're looking at...the birthday kid opening presents...in case you were wondering.)

What did you do on your first date?

It was a triple date...he had a couple of his friends there, with their dates. We went to Chili's and then we took a drive up to Huntsville, an awesome town in Utah, and drove out onto his grandpa's property, in the middle of nowhere and...you know, I don't really know why we went there. To look at the stars? Make out? If his friends weren't there too, I probably would have been a little scared. But, he just parked his truck out there, and we hiked up this little mountain and just sat and talked. No kissing, mind you. It was our first date. But, I really liked him, fast, and was way giddy that he held my hand when we hiked back down the mountain.

What's the best romantic getaway you've been on?

I would have to say that it was our trip to Marblehead (by Boston), a couple years ago, for our 10 year anniversary. I had this twisted idea that we should go check out Salem, MA for our 10 year. You know, celebrate our love while visiting the place where the Salem Witch Trials happened. I think I blogged about it, somewhere. Oh, here's the post. Needless to say, Salem wasn't as creepy as I hoped, but Marblehead was really neat. My favorite thing was just being completely bored together. Ahhhh....boredom. We had a whole week together, without the kids, to do whatever we wanted and just enjoy each other. We hopped in the car and drove to Maine, or we went to a movie, or we read all the naughty books we could find on the bookshelf in our bedroom, at the Bed and Breakfast. I have great memories of that trip.
What would the ultimate romantic getaway be?

Well, I would love to get out of the country with him. I've always wanted to go to Ireland. I would also love to do a tour in Israel, and experience all the Christian history there. That would be amazing. I would also love to tour Europe, but especially do a WWII tour.

What are your songs?

We've never really settled on "a song." But, there are certain albums that bring us back to our dating years and make us swoon, all over again. We used to always listen to/make-out to Kenny Rogers. That's right, he's awesome with that sexy, deep voice. Let's see...we also loved Alison Krauss, and Neil Diamond....oh, Neil. Good times.

If you were to make a special dinner for him, what would you make?

He loves my ribs...not, my actual ribs, but the kind you eat meat off of. Costco sells these super meaty ones. I just douse them in Famous Dave's BBQ sauce, wrap them in tin foil, and cook it on 300 for 4 hours. It's easy as pie, and he swears they are better than any restaurant. Sweet, I'll take it. I actually did a blog post on them, a while back (BBQ Ribs.) I would probably make baked potatoes with it and for dessert, he would probably hope for his favorite Caramel Cake.

What is the coolest gift you ever bought him?

Um, I think that he would probably say...a gun? He collects them, and there was a specific one he wanted...The Dirty Harry gun, a.k.a. Smith & Wesson Model 29. I actually went way WAY over our budget on it, and I got in a little trouble. But, luckily the gun was cool enough that I was quickly forgiven.

What is your favorite gift that he bought for you?

This is a hard one. He's given me so many things that I love. My most favorite things are probably the gifts that he has come up with himself. He'll usually get me the special something that I hope for, but he'll make a point of finding something on his own. This last Christmas, he found me a necklace on Etsy, that I love. He also gave me this framed picture of Christ (Road to Emmaus), that he remembered me saying how much I liked it, a long time before. So, that was neat.

Finish this sentence, "It makes me laugh when my husband..."

laughs. He is such a manly man. But, when he is watching a funny show, like The Office or Parks and Recreation, he bursts out with the loudest, WOMANLY laugh! It's hilarious. His laugh can make me laugh, more than the funny show! He also makes me laugh when he hold me down and tickles me. Except, it's not a true laugh. It's a I'm-gonna-kill-you laugh, with tears streaming down my face. It sucks, and it happens at least once a week. One time, he was tickle-attacking me, and in my frantic state-of-mind, I bit him as hard as I could and wouldn't release. Finally, I opened my mouth to tell him he was hurting me, and the pain instantly stopped. Yes, I was biting myself. Hard. I had a huge blue and green bruise on my arm for like 2 weeks. It was awesome. He thought it was the greatest thing ever.

(Every year for Christmas, we take the kids to the Christmas village in downtown Ogden. This picture must have been about 3 years ago.)

What are some everyday ways that you show love for each other?

Every morning, before he leaves for work, he'll come sit next to me on the bed, hold my hand, and say a prayer, with me. Then he'll lean down and kiss my face like 10 times. It's the best. We always call each other around lunch time, just to check in. Don't picture this in your mind, but we shower together almost every evening. It's the only place we can go, to get away from the kids, and talk about our days. I really look forward to it. We also make a point to just chill together every night, when we put the kids to bed. And, we always go to bed at the same time. Dan is a major cuddler, so he sleeps on my side of the bed with me. On our king size bed, we probably use 3 feet of it. Unless, I'm pregnant, which is often the case, and I'm boiling hot, and he wants to be nowhere near my oven-body. He always calls me his girlfriend and will always tell the kids to "stop stealing his girlfriend," or "scoot over, I have to sit by my girlfriend." I love that he can look past any of my frumpy-mom-syndrome and still think of me as his girlfriend.

What are some things you like to do together?

One year, for our anniversary, we bought each other golf clubs. We had never really been golfers before. But, now we will go golfing together all the time. Sometimes it's tricky to get babysitters, and sometimes I get discouraged because I'll decide that I suck at golfing, but we still try to go as often as we can. He'll even let me come when he's golfing with his friends, which I think is really sweet. Besides that, we love traveling together, watching our favorite shows, hanging out with our kids, boating, going to the sand dunes, playing volleyball, and just staying home and doing nothing.

(One of our adventures at the sand dunes...and the sun is in my eyes.)

If you could give your husband anything, what would it be?

Dan loves anything with a motor in it. Our garage could never be big enough. He has always wanted a Corvette and an old muscle car. So, as far as something with monetary value, I would LOVE to surprise him with one of the cars that he has always wanted. I can't see that ever happening, but it's the thought that counts, right? As far as something priceless, I wish I could make his life less stressful. Being self-employed with employees is such a blessing, but also a huge burden. He works his tail off to keep everyone busy and to support our family.

What cologne does your husband wear?

Currently, he toggles between LaCoste and LUCKY, that our son bought him for Christmas (he picked it all by himself, and it smells really good!)

My husband is especially attractive when...

ooooh, lots of times. I love seeing him work hard, in any situation. I love seeing him spending time with the kids...whether he's wrestling with them, playing with them, teaching them, comforting them, anything! Being a daddy is hot! Of course, I also love when he is helping me, without me having to ask him....ahh....doesn't that just make husbands instantly a million times hotter?? And, I love when he'll put on a nice button up shirt and takes me out.

I love my marriage because...

We both feel like we are lucky to have each other. We always try to lift each other up and make life better, for the other person. We enjoy being together and are committed 100%. It's nice to feel safe with each other. Inevitably, there are times where we may be annoyed with each other, but there is nothing scary about it. We both know that we want to be together and we will do whatever it takes to come to an understanding. We have the same goals: to have a happy family and raise our children the best we can, to have an awesome marriage, and to stay strong in our faith. Because our goals are aligned, we feel like we can conquer anything! Anyway, he's at the top of my list and I love him like crazy.

Forever My Valentine ~ A Glimpse Into My Love Life (she: Shelly)

2012-02-09T05:00:00.003-07:00

Hello, my name is Shelly Waskom and I live with my husband of ten years, Richard, our three beautiful children, and two mini-schnauzers in a suburb north of Dallas! We were both raised in the area and enjoy all of our extended family being so close. My husband is in sales and I am a domestic goddess! HA! We are both fairly creative and have enjoyed the last year of DIY projects in our home.

How did you meet?

Hahaha…..funny thing…..we met at Billy Bob’s Texas –the largest honky-tonk in the world. My husband was Rodeo Cowboy at the time, and I was a starry-eyed youngin’ not really looking for love. He asked me to dance, and it was an immediate connection. I knew, that night, that I would never spend another day without him.

What did you do on your first date?

Well, the night we met we realized that there was about 90 miles between us, which made it a little difficult to see each other often. I was only 19 and he was 29 when we met, so that first date was important. He came to my house to meet my parents and express his interest in me. He is a man of honor and integrity and he wanted my parents to see that in him, especially because of the age difference. After a long talk with my parents, we decided to go out to dinner for some Mexican food. Yum!

What is the best romantic getaway you have been on?

We have been on two “couples” vacations since our honeymoon. One was to Montego Bay, Jamaica and that other was to Las Vegas. I cannot really pick between the two simply because they were fun and romantic in totally different ways. Both places were extremely luxurious, but Montego Bay was more relaxed, connected, and simply beautiful. Las Vegas was glitzy, fun, and exciting. We really enjoyed both and grew closer with the time together.

What would the ultimate romantic getaway be?

Richard and I just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in the beginning of January. We booked and paid for a cruise almost a year ago, but a loss of Richard’s job caused us to have to cancel and get our money back. We never got to go and celebrate. It was hard, but we made our anniversary special in other ways. If we could go anywhere, we would LOVE to go to a Spa Resort in Hawaii.

What are your songs?

We danced to “When I Said I Do...” by Clint Black at our wedding. Also “Amazed” by Lonestar.

If you were to make a special dinner for him, what would you make?

I come from a long line of gourmet chefs….I love to cook. It is one way I show love. At this point in time, Richard’s favorite thing I make is Chicken Scampi Pasta. It is time consuming but rich and delicious. He really loves it when I make this for him.

What is the coolest gift you ever bought him?

I would say his wedding band. He lost his original one and went years without one. I thought it bothered me more than it bothered him. He mentioned wanting a new one, so I had one made and engraved with “My Life, My Love, Forever.” It is very special to the both of us.

What is your favorite gift that he bought you?

Richard is a wonderful gift giver. He really puts a lot of thought into what I will like. As far as sentimentality goes, I love the sapphire necklace he gave me right after our first daughter was born (her birthstone). We were so broke but he really wanted me to have something special. He saved for that one, without me knowing. I am still over-the-moon with my Louis Vuitton handbag he gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, though.

Finish this sentence, ”It makes me laugh when my husband…..”

….puts on a pair of cut-off jeans and a tank top, and pretends to be my Guatemalan house boy! I love it that he will mop, do dishes and laundry, all while looking sexy in a playful manner. His fake accent is hilarious! (He would die if he knew I told anyone this!! lol)

What are some everyday ways that you show love for each other?

I think that I mentioned a few in the above post. Richard is no stranger to house chores. He is happy to do the things that I HATE! If I will fold the laundry, he will put it away. If I make the grocery list, he will shop. If I need gas, he will happily take time to run to the gas station for me. It’s the idea that he thinks of me and puts my happiness before his own. I, in turn, try to do the same for him.

What are some things that you like to do together?

We are lovers of all things antique and we love to hit antique malls, barn sales and estate sales. We also love learning sustainable living and hope to own a farm in the future. We are DIY-ers and have completed some fun renovations and furniture refurbishing together.

If you could give your husband anything, what would it be?

I would give him the kind of worry-free, charmed existence that we all wish for. Peace of mind and a childlike innocence. A man carries a heavy burden for his family, providing, loving, meeting emotional and physical demands, and yet he weathers it beautifully. I would like to take that stress from him, assume the pressure, even if only for one day.

What cologne do you love your husband to wear?

Mmmmm……I love it when he smells good. My favorite is Carolina Herrera or Abercrombie for men.

Finish this sentence, “My husband is especially attractive when…..”

…..when he sweats. LOL. I know that seems gross, but in the right situation, it is wonderful! The night we met, we danced our hearts out and he smelled like cologne, whiskey and sweat. We had so much fun. I love when we go out and dance, even now- because of that smell! It’s also great to sweat alongside him doing projects or gardening, etc. It’s not that it’s all that sexy, but it’s nice to have that familiar rhythm to life with him. At least we can be stinky together!

I love my marriage because...

Because we have worked really hard at it. We have put our faith in God and our marriage in His hands. I love my marriage because we are friends, and we have learned from our mistakes. It hasn’t always been sunshine and roses, but when it’s good – it’s the best there ever was!

~ Shelly

Forever My Valentine ~ A Glimpse Into My Love Life (she: Camille)

2012-02-08T05:00:00.002-07:00

Hello! My name is Camille, my husband Mykel and I will celebrate 20 years of wedded bliss (and a few blips) this year. We have five beautiful children, 3 boys ages 16, 14, 13 and two girls ages 8 and 5. Our children are all adopted but are biologically related as they all have the same birthmother. (My previous guest posts: Open Adoption and Nights With Your Kids.) I have a daycare in my home five days a week and my favorite vice is watching reruns of Law and Order SVU on my iPhone while I fold laundry.

How did you meet?

The first time I saw my husband I was sitting on the steps of the Jr. High School. He was sitting in the back seat of the high school bus and he waved to me. I had to turn my head and make sure he was waving at me! I would try to see him at the high school when I went there for track practice. My older sister’s friend was dating him and had dance pictures of them hanging on her ceiling. I loved to just lie on her bed and stare at him! He finally asked me out a few years later…

What did you do on your first date?

He offered me a ride home from work and he took me to this sort of water pipe/bridge that spanned the highway. He conveniently had a blanket in his trunk and we spent several hours talking about our families, what accidents we had been in, what our scars were from, etc. I was thrilled to say the least, I mean, I was barely 16 and he was 19 (so gorgeous and even a gentleman! He didn’t even try any moves on me!)

What’s the best romantic getaway you’ve been on?

My husband booked a three day/two night getaway to Park City, Utah. The most romantic part about it was that HE planned it without my knowledge. The getaway package included mountain bike rentals and a mapped bike tour around the city and mountains. We went to the chocolate factory and got our favorite white chocolate covered caramel apples, had a picnic lunch, played golf and went hiking. The best part was having a kitchenette in our room so we didn’t have to leave if we didn’t want to!

What would the ultimate romantic getaway be??

I picture a nice (private) little cottage near the beach stocked with plentiful towels, a hot tub or large jacuzzi bath, giant king size bed with down comforters and soft pillows, a warm breeze blowing through the windows, a stocked pantry/fridge and no distractions….

What are your songs?

OUR song is, “If we hold on together” by Diana Ross. We used to dedicate it to each other on the radio when we first got married. The words have special meaning to us.

My song for him is “Green Eyes” by Coldplay. (I love my husband’s green eyes!)

He dedicated “Lucky” to me by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillet.

If you were to make a special dinner for him, what would you make?

My man loves Thai food. I would make spring rolls with a special peanut sauce and then shrimp pad Thai for the main course and mango sticky rice for dessert.

Here's my favorite recipe for Shrimp Pad Thai. And, this is my own recipe for Mango Sticky Rice...

Mango Sticky Rice

2 C sweet rice (you can buy sticky rice at the Asian market or just use regular white/uncooked rice)

water

Rice seasoning:

2/3 C coconut milk

1/3 C sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coconut Sauce:

1/2 C Coconut milk (coconut cream from the can of coconut milk)

1/4 C Brown Sugar

1 ripe mango peeled and diced.

1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. When the rice is almost finished, combine the coconut milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

3. Combine the coconut cream/milk and brown sugar in a seperate sauce pan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.

4. When the rice is done, let it set for about ten minutes. Then pour the rice seasoning over the rice and combine.

You can serve in a small ramekin or mold the rice in a small dish and then tip over on a plate. Pour the coconut sauce over the top and spoon some of the diced mango on top. Enjoy!

What was the coolest gift you ever bought him?

He used to have a limited edition Yamaha dirt bike in the original Yamaha yellow. I bought him a huge gear bag, matching hat and motorcycle boots (he looked extra hot on that bike!)

What is your favorite gift that he bought for you?

My favorite gift he “bought” for me was a TTR125 dirt bike (only because he and I could go riding together and that was the BEST). But truly my favorite gifts are the ones he made for me. He is a machinist so he made me some metal bracelets and he inscribed a special love note on the inside. I think the best part was that he gave them to me for no special reason.

The most memorable gift was when we were really poor and I was just dying to have some new bath towels. On his way home from work (on a motorcycle no less), he stopped and bought me some new towels. It meant so much that he thought about what I REALLY wanted, took the time to get them, and got them even though it was a huge inconvenience! I still have those towels 12 years later!

Finish this sentence, “It makes me laugh when my husband…

….laughs (I love hearing him laugh!); makes up different lyrics to songs; tickles me with his beard; dances with our girls.

What are some every day ways that you show love for each other?

I love to text my husband early in the morning when he is at work and tell him how grateful I am for his hard work for our family. We text each other periodically throughout the day and send squishy love notes. He comes home for lunch almost every day and I cook for him and serve him lunch (he is on his feet for 10-12 hours a day so I like to give him a chance to sit down and relax for a few minutes). Before he sits down to eat he gives me a hug and twirls me around the kitchen (he also likes to try and bite my neck because he knows it tickles me like crazy!) He will fix or repair anything for me, (love that!) I also love that he will gas up my car, check the oil, fill my tires, etc.

What are some things you like to do together?

We love to try new places to eat. Sometimes we will just pick a street, park and start walking until we find something interesting. We love to go boating together without the children; we get up REALLY early on Saturday mornings and go to the lake together. Then we can lay out on the deck, read the paper and just chat without interruption…

If you could give your husband anything, what would it be?

A brand new SBACH remote controlled airplane and unlimited credit at the hobby store (and a happy wife).

What cologne do you love your husband to wear?

I absolutely love Axe Kilo. My old favorites were Hugo Boss and Colors by Benetton.

Finish this sentence, “My husband is especially attractive when…

…he is playing with our children, reading them books, helping with their homework, tucking them in bed, teaching them something, working with his hands fixing something, cleaning my stove or fridge, opening the door for me… I love to see my man work. When he does something that helps me, no matter how small, it makes him so attractive!

I love my marriage because…

I love my marriage because I almost didn’t have a marriage. My hubby and I got separated and divorced after four years of marriage. He didn’t want to get divorced, I did. Luckily, we were able to reconcile and he remarried me (I had to ask him!) J. But through all of that, I realized that I would do whatever I needed to do to make our marriage work. It was so hard for me to understand how much I had hurt him and how selfish I had been. Through the years I have learned how important it is to put the other person first. It is so simple, but I try to treat him how I want to be treated. When I do things for him because I want to, not because I am forced, or because I expect something in return, he is more willing to reciprocate. It has been a hard journey sometimes, but as the years go by I understand how much more I have to learn about my husband and how I can’t wait to get to know him better every day.

~ Camille