43

43 & Sexy

Tyler turned 43 last week. We have now known each other half of our lives. That is a pretty cool milestone. I am lucky that I am married to the greatest guy in the entire world. Not only is he my husband, but he is also my very best friend. I am so grateful that we like to spend time together; we have similar interests; we support one another; and we bring out the best in one another. Most importantly... we get one another.

Case in point:

This summer I came home to a calling card from a detective from the police depart asking us to contact him because he had a few questions. I FREAKED. I googled the detective and found out that he was a detective that has investigated serious crimes and criminals in our area. I FREAKED again. I then googled Tyler...looking to see if he had any warrants for his arrest. (Hey! I grew up in the 80's on a regular TV diet of Lifetime TV Movies like "The Stranger in My Bed"!!) Of course, I found nothing. When Tyler got home we called the detective back and found out that he wanted to ask us some questions about our neighbor who was applying to the police academy. This particular detective used to be a serious detective but now was semi-retired and interviews people for things like this. Whew!! At my extreme relief Tyler was like, "What? Did you think he might want to ask questions about me?" and I was like, "Um...Not really...maybe...", and he was like, "What?! Did you look to see if I had any warrants out for my arrest?" and I said, very sheepishly, "Perhaps..." and then he threw his head back and ROARED with laughter. He laughed and laughed until he was crying. See!! He GETS me. A lesser man would've taken great umbrage. He would've been angry or irritated but Tyler found it HILARIOUS. He knows that my mind instantly goes to very dark places; he gets my neurotic side; and is usually amused. I appreciate that about him. Ha ha.

Usually Tyler has a Superbowl Birthday Party, but this year I was traveling on Superbowl Sunday, so we celebrated on his actual birthday, and then again on the weekend. Since we weren't doing a Superbowl party...we decided to watch a movie as a family. Ailey and Bryn instantly begged for all of us to see Frozen. My sister, Kelley, took them to see the movie around the holidays and they LOVED IT. Tyler relented and a new theme was born. We all loved Frozen...particularly our own little Nordic boy. Finally a kids movie set in his own ancestral land.

 He then picked "frozen" cream for his birthday treat. Hot Fudge Sundaes all around!! He had his in an enormous bowl with multiple flavors of ice cream and hot fudge and one lone candle. He loved it and two little girls really got a kick out of the fact that "Daddy had a Frozen Birthday Party!"

He got a bevvy of gifts...one of which was a KitchenAid Mixer all his own...his request...due to the fact that the poor man has a non-baking wife. (For years I have said that we don't need a KitchenAid due to my non-baking ways.) Last year my Mom and sisters all offered to kick in for one for my birthday and I was like "Why? I don't bake." But Tyler does...so we all kicked in for one for HIM and he is THRILLED with it!!

But I do believe that his very very favorite gift came from Reilly:

This is only a but sampling of the huge gift bag of these treats that she gave him. The man loves pudding. Like he REALLY loves pudding...and he loves Vienna Sausages. Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! Why anyone would want to eat gelatinous wienies from a can is BEYOND me. After we got married those have not darkened our doorstep...except on his birthday. Enjoy those revolting little sausages!! He also loves Storck Chocolate Reisens. He was in snack heaven. Once the weekend rolled around I took him out for his favorite sushi dinner and sour cream lemon pie.

The man is gold. He is the best. He is the best husband and the best father. As Reilly's FB birthday tribute said, "You are crazy and weird in the best way." I concur. He is the most beloved daddy by his daughters and a beloved compadre with his son. He goes out of his way to spend one on one time with each of his kids. He took that so far as to join the ward choir so that he could hang out with Reilly and have something that could be their "thing". I found that to be amusing and drastic but that's how the man rolls. Unfortunately, Ailey and Bryn just can't wait until they are old enough to "sing with Daddy in the choir!!" You might be sha-la-la-ing up there for sometime old man. Ha ha. I asked Kam if he wanted to join the choir too. His reply, "UH...NOOO! Someone's got to sit in the audience with you and laugh." and we do!! That's our "thing". Ha ha.


I close with the prophetic words of Tyler's mother from her journal, November 18, 1986, when Tyler was a teen. (She sent us a copy for his birthday and, boy, was it amusing...The dastardly teenage doings of the original Johnsons Three.)

(Why yes, he has!!)

Happy Birthday Ty!! I love you.