Two wild and crazy Troxell's

I'm thankful for: Matt

2009-11-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have an absolutely wonderful husband.

I love watching Matt coach... he's such a good teacher (something that I'm not so good at) and very patient with his boys. If they don't get a technique the first time he explains it, he can always think of a new creative way to explain the same thing. I appreciate that he is a kind and gentle (yet firm & manly!) coach. He doesn't fly off the handle, he is always consistent.

I made this list of "awesome husband qualities" when I was 17 years old... I framed it and gave it to Matt on our wedding night and now it hangs in our bedroom. The qualities I listed on August 29th 1997 were:

friend
man of God
someone I admire
brave
fun
funny
can make me laugh
CREATIVE
romantic
loving
caring
smart
handsome
family man!
responsible
trustworthy
initiator
athletic
good listener
good discusser

I had no idea that all of this would come wrapped up in the package that is Mr. Matthew Danger Troxell. However, I am extremely thankful that the Lord knew just who & what I needed!

Tonight, I am thankful for his handiness! I recently became fed up with the way our house looked so I decided to paint... which has since led to other things and tonight Matt is replacing our sink/vanity in the bathroom. I'm one blessed girl! :)

I'm thankful for my "Big Bad Wolf!"

THIRTY DAYS OF THANKFULNESS

2009-11-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

THIRTY DAYS OF THANKFULNESS... well make that 26 days... I'm going to (try) to post a blog of "thankfulness" everyday for the rest of the month. Wish me luck! :)

Some things that are on my mind......

2009-05-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Woodleaf 2009
WyldLife for 09-10
Young Life for 09-10
Leaders (current and new)
How happy I am that I got new glasses/sunglasses (prescription for both!!)
Donors
Money
Our house
Kids?!
High Schoolers hearts
Jonesing for some Yogizmo (frozen yogurt!!)
Fund raisers for camp
Committee
Dishes
Laundry
Mabel-vet
Car- oil changed/maintenance required light
Carol
Sleep
Yoga
Vacation
Family
Friends
Living so far away...
Balance

PRAYER.

Eye of the Danger

2009-03-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

Matt got some saw dust in his eye on Saturday around 4pm while we were building the new SLV snack shed. He tried irrigating it for a while but hours later it was still bright red and watering. So, we went for a Saturday night "date" to the ER. They put some special drops in his eye that helped the PA to see with UV light any foreign bodies... but no such luck. They didn't find anything. *sigh*
So, after 48+ hours of pain we went for an Ophthalmologist consult this morning (Monday) where the talented Dr. Cheng found a piece of wood embedded in Matt's eyelid. The kind Doctor removed it and Matt instantly felt better! Tonight his eye is still red but not watering and feels much much better. Thankfully no real damage was done and all he has to do is put antibiotic eye drops in every 2 hours. We have a followup appointment on Thursday to make sure no infection has set in.

Here are some pictures of our "date" at the ER on Saturday night....

UV light test...

wife

after the special drops

Eye of the Danger

Matt waiting

SLV snack shed

long time no see......

2009-03-17T18:53:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's been so long! Our computer crashed for a little bit and well... I've just had other things to do!

Here are a few picture to show you what we've been up to since I last posted...

Pictures from the top down:

1. Snow at Young Life's Woodleaf camp over the WyldLife weekend that we served at as "Head Leaders"
2. New 29th birthday haircut
3. Young Life Club shenanigans
4. Me taking a "stab" at knife throwing
5. Young Life's Winter weekend (Young Life Camp)
6. Matt got a new work truck! (Ford F250 Diesel)
7. Mabel at the dog beach in Santa Cruz
8. Amazing clouds over the pool deck during Swim practice
9. Candles from the lent service at our church
10. Photo of the Pacific Ocean while on a walk with Trinity
11. Puppy Sleepover! (Mabel had a friend, Mr. Darcy, stay over one night!)
12. Walks with Mabel
13. Friends of ours trying to raft down the creek behind our house... silly boys!
14. R.A.W. ("Real Authentic Worship")
15. My chili entry from the Chili Cook off at our Church!
16. Carlyn trying to pack up Mabel and take her to Italy with her!

Blog Giveaway!!!

2009-01-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

My friend Amy is having a giveaway on her blog... check it out!

Baby Car-Car

2009-01-27T22:03:00.001-08:00

This picture was when we went to sing Christmas carols as a "family" lead by our friend Wendy Estorga at Finn's Coffee in Santa Cruz. (Matt's company, KI Custom Construction Inc. built Finn's!)

I can't believe over the last 7 months I've never blogged about this wonderful girl..........

So, we had a former Young Life kid (and friend) Carlyn Kay Whitaker, living with us from May - Jan. 16th. She was an amazing "housemate" and we enjoyed her company so much this year! Carlyn (or baby Car-Car as we often call her) is amazing woman! She is currently off adventuring in "Italia" at the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence, Italy. We're praying that she has a wonderful time abroad and learns lots at culinary school!

WE MISS YOU MANY TINES BABY CAR-CAR!!!!!!!!!!!! And yes, to everyone reading, I meant to write tines and not times! ;)

is Facebook contact work?

2009-01-27T21:44:00.001-08:00

The Young Life website says the following about "contact work"...

Contact work is a simple principle modeled by Christ and "rediscovered" more than 60 years ago when a handful of men and women who were developing Young Life's methods began showing up at games, practices and local hangouts so they could get to know kids. Contact work is about building relationships and earning the trust and friendship of teenagers.

Contact work is also lifestyle, not just a technique. "You are there to care for people for the sake of Christ," says one veteran Young Life staff person. "These relationships are not accidental or coincidental. They are ordained by God."

Jesus spent His earthly ministry looking for and connecting with the lost and hurting. His life set the standard for how we should reach teenagers through the ministry of Young Life — up close and personal. Every leader will have their own techniques for doing contact work based on who they are and what their kids enjoy.

So my question is: if I just spent about a hour on facebook "talking" to 3 different kids, is that contact work?! :)

a new day...

2009-01-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

January 20th 2009

Looking forward to seeing what will happen over the next 4 years.

9 stress factors

2009-01-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Can you guess which of these stress factors I wasn't closely involved in this year??

not enough sleep
trying to do too much
serious illness or surgery
new job
divorce
moving house
excessive caffeine
death of partner, relative, or close friend
marriage

one year.

2009-01-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, (actually it was one year ago today) we had a HUGE Winter storm here in Santa Cruz. It just so happened that it was 6 days after we purchased our little cabin in the woods. During the storm a tree fell, not just any tree but a 200-300 foot Douglas Fir with a 4 1/2 foot base... Thankfully, very thankfully, it fell the other direction-- away from our little cabin in the woods and onto some power lines... we went 58 hours with out power (and showers!) but eventually the tree came down safely and was well with the world at 930 Lockhart again! :)

The End
p.s. the stump and logs are still in our yard-- anyone want them?!

Cambo

2009-01-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

While I was in West Virginia for Thanksgiving/my Grandma's 90th birthday I was able to see CAMBERLY ELISABETH PEARSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Christmas" in Florida

2009-01-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

I was able to spend some time with my awesome family while I was in town for Barbara's shower... here are some pictures from our time together.

I took Ella to Build-a-Bear for Christmas!

Ella & Aunt Heather with the Build-a-Bear dog that Ella named: "Princess Sparkles"

Cute siblings!

Isaac giving me a high five! :)

Grandma & Ella making a Gingerbread House!

Ella being silly with the GB House

Grandma & Ella with their completed Gingerbread house!

The final product! YUM!

Barb's Shower!

2009-01-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

I was able to go home to Florida for one of my best friend's baby shower in mid December. I was so happy that I could be there to celebrate the soon to be life of "baby boy Drahl!" (Name to be reveled at birth!) Enjoy the pictures of the event!

All kinds of yummy food!

Me with my Florida besties: Barb & Krista

Barb with some of her hostesses!

Barbara had LOTS of presents to open!

The soon to be Mommy, Barbara & the soon to be Grandma, Jana!

A New Year... a new "no"

2009-01-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

Here's the challenge & the goal:

No Coke (or soda) for one year... wish me luck! :)

the quest for a Christmas picture...

2008-11-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

We set out to take a Christmas picture yesterday and below is a sampling of what we got after about 20 shots!

testing out the camera...

take 1

take 2

take 3

take 4

and the winner is...

goodbye old friend...

2008-11-15T20:37:00.001-08:00

After putting 64,500 miles on her since February 2004, the Jeep is been officially been SOLD this afternoon thanks to the help of Craigslist!

Pictures of the new car (a 2005 Honda Pilot) are on the way! :)

SPAYcation all I really wanted, SPAYcation had to get away

2008-11-06T22:17:00.001-08:00

So, Mabeldog is officaially "fixed"-- although, she was never broken... I digress.

She's been out of commission since last Tuesday, although she isn't acting like anything has changed! She isn't supposed to be allowed to "roam free, run, or walk up/downstairs" until next Tuesday... but when she bolts out the door and runs down to the creek it's kind of hard to stop her from doing those things. But what we can control, we do... so she hasn't been allowed to be in her pin outside, like she normally is, thus Mabel has been enjoying a little "SPAYcation" a term I coined this evening for her current state since she has been spayed and is on vacation to her inside pin.

Ok, I'll stop rambling since I have propbably become that crazy "Idon'thaveanykidsbutIhaveareallycutedogwannaseeapicturelady?"

Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy these pictures of our out of commission puppy!

pleasssssssssssse let me out?!?!?

sadest puppy ever

"SPAYcation"

SPAYcation
All I ever wanted
SPAYcation
Had to get away
SPAYcation
Meant to be spent alone
(adapted from the GO-GO's song "Vacation")

aww... this thing is so embarassing

huh?! speak louder, I can't hear you

OUCH. (cool scar though!)

Mabel update...

2008-10-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

Mabel is doing GREAT! She's really a wonderful doggie and we're glad to have her. We try and take her to the Scotts Valley Dog Park often and even got to take her to the Dog Beach last weekend too... all she wants to do at those places is RUN RUN RUN! She LOVES to run and she's super quick, it's fun to watch her tear around in circles! Tomorrow morning she goes to the Vet to get spayed-- hopefully all goes well.

Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of Mabel-dog's life...

Here she is just chillaxin' on the Dog Beach after a good run.

Umm... ya, she ate the little decorative pumpkin I had on the coffee table. Just last night I cut out the center so that it was a little candle holder... and this morning I turned around and she was eating it. (Hey! Better that little cheap pumpkin than my expensive shoes!)

Oh... and I came out of our room a few weeks ago to this:

Here is a video of her "fetching" the ball for us at the Dog Beach... man it's beautiful here in Santa Cruz!

6 things

2008-10-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

I got Tagged by Trinity, over a week ago, so here it goes...

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. List 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post

1) When I snap to music I use my ring finger (instead of my middle finger like most people I know.)

2) I absolutely hate cleaning silverware by hand.

3) I'm a total blog creeper... which means I creep on friends-friends blogs! Shhhh... :)

4) When I was 13 I severed a tendon and some nerves in my pinky finger... while doing the dishes.

5) Jon was my favorite NKOTB member when I was in the 5th grade.

6) My Grandpa's & Grandma's names were: James Edward/ Lucille Maxine and Homer Stanley/ Pauline Cecelia.

I'm tagging...

Carissa Mastry
Camberly Pearson
Carlyn Whitaker
Lipert ('cause I don't think he'll do it!)
Katie Hobbie
Sarah Yonich

Pretty Pumpkin...

2008-10-13T22:50:00.001-07:00

Mabel is gonna be a pumpkin for Halloween... :)

Mabel update...

2008-10-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

So, we found out what Mabel is... I mean, we knew she was a dog but we found out that she is a "Dudley Lab." Which means that her nose, lips, gums, and the rims of the eyes, are a "pink, liver, or flesh" colored. Apparently "Dudley's" are extremely rare but can not be show dogs and because of that are not bread for and are considered "undesirable." We disagree! :) We love our Dudley!

On another note... Mabel is an offical graduate of PetSmart Puppy school! She learned soooooo much in puppy school. She can now sit, stay, stay when we walk out of sight, leave it, go away, come and well, that's all I can remember. She starts "Intermediate" class on Saturday! She should learn a variety of new things at "Intermediate" class such as...

Intermediate Education

Brief review of basic cues
Cues such as stay from a distance
Learning despite distractions
Relationship-forming games
Additional cues (heel, stand and more)

Top 12

2008-10-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

So, if you don't know by now we live in a pretty small place. 630 square feet to be exact... lately I've been mentally dogging on my house so after reading my friend Katie's blog post about her "top 10 most favorite things in our little home", I decided to share my top house favorites too! I came up with 12. We'll think of this post as a little house-esteem booster, if you will! :) So anyway, I hope you enjoy my Top 12 favorite things in/about my house!

Comments, encouragement, and donations for a remodel welcome! :)

-Heather

1. 5 gallon glass water container.
We picked this up at our local Flea Market for only $8! We keep it next to our gas stove (our only heat source) and Matt puts his change in it everyday after work... maybe one day we'll take a vaction with all the money that's in it?!

2. White dotted "candy" dish.
I got this in Florida from my Mom when they were moving out of our house. I put it on the nightstand next to my bed and use it to hold all my various nightstand junk: hairbands, bracelets, bobby pins, etc.

3. The "T" towels in our bathroom.
My sister sent me these a little while back for no reason at all! I love them 'cause they give my tiny little white bathroom a little bit of kick, plus they remind me of my wonderful Sister!

4. Napkins & napkin holder
I love all the colors in our napkins-- they make me happy! Plus they are reusable after a wash & that's always fun. The napkin holder was part of a gift basket I received last year for Christmas from a client. It had various coffee/coffee mugs inside but the only thing I kept was this basket! :)

5. Hardwood floors.
I just love the way they are worn and the color etc etc...

6. Blue lamp & white end table.
The Crate & Barrel blue lamp was a wedding gift from my Chiropractor... Dr. Kerri Crandell, she's the BEST! :) The white end table I found at Goodwill for $7 and repainted a few years back. I love the combination of these two items, they make me happy.

7. Magnetic knife strips, 3 total.
We purchased some of these for our other (small) house and we bought more when we moved in here 'cause they are soooooooooo helpful, especially in a kitchen with 2, yes 2, drawers!

8. The pink floor!
The floor in our "guest" room was already painted pink (fuchsia?) when we moved in and personally love it! I mean I would never have done this on my own or probably even thought about doing it... but I'm glad it's here-- makes me happy when I see it! {Oh and I absolutely adore our green Crate & Barrel rug too, courtesy of Mrs. Nancy Campbell at my Florida bridal shower!}

9. Crate & Barrel colorful stacking bowls.
I LOVE THESE BOWLS! :) We registered for these back when we got married and my BFF Barbara got them for us! I use them all the time and since we live in the smallest house of anyone I know, it is especially helpful that they stack into each other!

10. This one is a combo...
'cause I really love the new green storage container(s) I got (of which I have 3 total in various sizes) and also the organization of my cookbooks! (Side note: I also happen to hate the slant in my roof-- notice how it follows the cookbooks down to the wall...)

11. Chalk board by our kitchen sink...
I love it but I don't use it nearly enough. It was a *FREE* hand-me-down from a friend too! :)

12. Orange pantry baskets.
I got three of these baskets at Ross "dress for less" in order to do a mini pantry re-model... it worked out pretty well, I must say! :)

I BLOG... because I can!

2008-09-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

I AM…busy!
I WANT… to love others better.
I HAVE…TMJ- ugh.
I KEEP... trying again.
I WISH I COULD… talk to the people I love more often.
I HATE... the new "hands free" cell phone law in CA.
I FEAR... our current financial state in America.
I HEAR... the trees rustling outside my office window.
I DON’T THINK... it will ever the "right" time to do it.
I REGRET... my hairstyle for my Senior picture!
I LOVE…my husband and my puppy!
I AM NOT... perfect.
I DANCE... when I feel like it!
I SING… in the car.
I NEVER... have liked the time difference between the East & West coasts.
I RARELY… get things right.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH… ummm nothing... I'm not a crier over TV/movies.
I AM NOT ALWAYS... right.
I HATE THAT... I'm judgmental.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT… the timing of things.
I NEED... to mail a lot of stuff & drive to Matt's Water Polo game.
I SHOULD… be more active.

The Sarah Palin baby name generator...

2008-09-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Check it out... and laugh.

http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html

Mabel's new trick

2008-09-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Mabel likes to chase her tail these days! This is her in action...

guess who got an iPhone?!

2008-09-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

me!

A note from Mabel.

2008-08-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody!!!

How are you? Here are so pictures from my life...

This is my friend Mr. Darcy. He lives with me this month while his master, Cara, is working at a Young Life camp. I try to get "MD" to play with me but he likes to be still, calm, and quite... I'm not really into that stuff yet.

Here I am in my favorite spot inside the house chewing on my bone... yum... I love bones!

Here is another picture of me when I'm wondering what my owner Heather is trying to do. She kept saying "Mabel look" and I kept looking but she never did anything except flash a light in my eyes... she's always flashing that light in my eyes. Anyway, I hope all of our blog readers are doing well. I'm growing up pretty quick... I already weigh 30 lbs. I think I could probably gain at least 40-60 more within the year especially if I keep sneaking Mr. Darcy's food! :)

Umm... I gotta go-- I think I saw a squirrel! BYE!

Foot Surgery update #4

2008-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

I went to the Dr yesterday to get my wrapped changed ('cause it was super stinky) and low and behold he said I could take off all my wraps AND (drum roll please...) I can stop wearing the hot stinky boot!

So here's what my foot looks like today... it's pretty stiff still but he said I'm free to start using it and working out the stiffness. It's swollen a little too but doesn't look too bad for having surgery 8 days ago!

on the move...

2008-08-02T14:36:00.001-07:00

So my parents are on the move. They are selling their home of 30 years. This is the house I was brought home from the hospital to after birth (I was also brought home to this same house after other trips to the hospital though through out my years!)

2031 Sepler Court
Fern Park, FL 32730

That address embodies a whole heck of a lot to me... most specifically, precious memories. Here are a few of the ones that stand out to me today:

*Running back from our neighbor Barbara's house where I was sent to pick up two eggs for a recipe my Mom was making... tripping in the yard that joins our homes, falling, getting the wind knocked out of me, being a little stunned by the event and yes, of course, breaking the eggs.

*Summers in the pool. Playing with "toys" that my Mom gave us which usually were recyclables such as dish soap bottles and gallon milk containers... my Mom was "going green" or "eco friendly" before it was even cool!

*Krista coming over on Saturdays to help me finish my chores so we could play sooner!

*Christmases!!! STOCKING FIRST!

*Playing on the old back porch when the Florida afternoon summer thunderstorms would roll in a force us out of the pool for a few hours.

*Jr. Prom 1997. My parents graciously hosted a bunch of my friends (about 15) and their dates PLUS all of those kids parents to a pre-Prom picture taking party including drinks and hors d'oeuvres!

*Day long family weeding sessions... ugh-- I won't miss that!

July 29, 2005...

2008-07-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd Anniversary Matt!

You're the best and I love you the most!

Foot Surgery update #3

2008-07-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

I saw my foot Dr. yesterday and he said my foot is healing nicely and I'm not having any complications with healing or the scar.

I have however had some mild side affects from the pain meds that forced me to stay home and just relax today which is sort of a bummer 'cause this is my last week at Mission Springs. I feel a little bit lame but then again, I guess I am!

On the other hand the scar is pretty awesome... it's really thin but really LONG... it's like 4 inches long, which is way longer than I thought it would be... oh well-- it's not like I was gonna take up foot modeling any time soon!

Oh and I'm walking fairly well on it now too! Not bad for less than a week after surgery! :)

Foot Surgery update #2

2008-07-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

All gift, cards, flowers, etc can be sent to:

Heather Troxell
930 Lockhart Gulch Road
Scotts Valley, CA 95066

haha......

Foot Surgery update #1

2008-07-25T22:02:00.001-07:00

My foot surgery went well and now I'm hopped up on Vicodin (sp?) and just laying around the house. I have an appointment on Monday with the Doctor... hopefully he'll give me another good report!

Check out my new shoe... I get to wear this sweet thing for two whole weeks (yes kids, that is sarcasm!)

BEFORE

AFTER

My cool hospital ID wrist band

Me laying around...

WARNING:

**THIS NEXT PICTURE IS A LITTLE GROSS**

told you so...

Hallux Rigidus Surgery

2008-07-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

Say goodbye to the bump... and the stiffness... and the swelling...

Friday, July 25th 11:00am PST

Mabel: then and now

2008-07-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

Mabel is growing like crazy these days! We went to Young Life camp last week for a total of 7 days and she noticeably grew just in that week alone!

The pictures below are pretty funny... the first one is of Mabel about 2 weeks after we got her (9.5 weeks old.) The second one was taken yesterday (12.5 weeks old.)

We sure do love our big puppy! She's already learned to sit, lay down, walk on the leash, and retrieve the ball! She starts puppy training on August 3rd... hopefully she'll learn even more!

THEN and...

NOW!

YOUNG LIFE CAMP

2008-07-19T17:53:00.001-07:00

We just got back fro Woodleaf camp last night. We had an AWESOME week packed full of fun times-- some of which are pictured below!

Thanks for the prayers... Heather & Matt

Some of the boys practicing their synchronized swimming routine!

and preforming it!

"Camo" got put in the dunk tank 4 times!!!

Here with some of the YL boys who earned enough tickets to put him in the tank!

Getting a pie in the face (not my last one) from Sarah D.

and posing for a picture afterwards!

"Camo" got a "pie in the face" about 6 or 7 times that night... this one was from Miguel R!

Some of the beautiful girls at the pool with Leader Brianne (far R, with the curly hair!)

Lauren B. & Laura B. swinging on the GIANT SWING!

Kids singing at Club

and smiling for the camera at Club too!

btw...

2008-07-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

I gave notice of my resignation today. My last day at MS is scheduled for August 1st 2008.

Young Life here I come! (again!)

Foot Surgery.

2008-07-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm having foot surgery... Friday, July 25th at 11:00am PST.

Why? Well, not 'cause of the kickball incident at work. Nope, apparently I have Hallux Rigidus. What is Hallus Rigidus you ask? Read more below...

What is Hallux Rigidus?
Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the big toe, and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe. "Hallux" refers to the big toe, while "rigidus" indicates that the toe is rigid and cannot move. Hallux rigidus is actually a form of degenerative arthritis (a wearing out of the cartilage within the joint that occurs in the foot and other parts of the body).

Because hallux rigidus is a progressive condition, the toe's motion decreases as time goes on. In its earlier stage, motion of the big toe is only somewhat limited—at that point, the condition is called “hallux limitus.” But as the problem advances, the toe's range of motion gradually decreases until it potentially reaches the end stage of "rigidus"— where the big toe becomes stiff, or what is sometimes called a "frozen joint." Other problems are also likely to occur as the disorder progresses.

What Causes Hallux Rigidus?
Common causes of hallux rigidus are faulty function (biomechanics) and structural abnormalities of the foot that can lead to osteoarthritis in the big toe joint. This type of arthritis—the kind that results from "wear and tear"—often develops in people who have defects that change the way their foot and big toe functions. For example, those with fallen arches or excessive pronation (rolling in) of the ankles are susceptible to developing hallux rigidus.
In some people, hallux rigidus runs in the family and is a result of inheriting a foot type that is prone to developing this condition. In other cases, it is associated with overuse—especially among people engaged in activities or jobs that increase the stress on the big toe, such as workers who often have to stoop or squat. Hallux rigidus can also result from an injury—even from stubbing your toe. Or it may be caused by certain inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Your foot and ankle surgeon can determine the cause of your hallux rigidus and recommend the best treatment.

I will be put under anesthesia for the surgery. Please pray for my surgery and recovery, thank you.

GAS PRICES #2

2008-07-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

We paid $81.74 for gas on Sunday... ugh. This has gotten ridiculous, ridiculous I say.

SOLD!

2008-07-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

as the Troxell motto goes... "you can always sell a car for $500!" Which we did this past Friday!!!

Oh Mabel...

2008-07-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Mabel's traveling spot!

I'm so cute, don't you want to give me a treat?!

Check out my new bling!

for all those who are asking...

2008-06-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here are more pictures of our cute little active pup!

Me: Come on Mabel, you can do it!
Mabel: Uh... I don't think so, that looks very high.

Me: Mabel, jump... come on.
Mabel: Ya, I don't think I can do it...

Me: Come on Mabel, you can... Wuhoo!!!
Mabel: Wuhoo!!!!!

Mabel kisses!

Mabel is...

2008-06-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

CUTE! :)

THE 1974 Gran Torino Wagon

2008-06-21T23:40:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure that many people have seen this sweet ride yet... but we got this 1974 Gran Torino Wagon last year. We're trying to sell it on Craigslist right now (it's a gas hog and sort of broken down...) but we've gotten a bite!!! Some guy that wants to use it for parts... good for him! If we do sell it Matt would like to get a 1 ton late 80's - early 90's Toyota pickup for work... we'll see! :) The Gran Torino will be missed though... it's a pretty sick ride.

WE'RE BACK!!!

2008-06-21T23:36:00.000-07:00

Take that Florida peeps...

Sunday

June 22nd

Sunny

82° high
48° low

Monday

June 23rd

Partly Cloudy

77° high
49° low

why?!

2008-06-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

June 20th 2008
Sunny
100° high

59° low

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME. I hate this kind of weather... this is why I moved, if you didn't know. To top it all off... the AC went out on the Jeep, our "good car", today. UGH.

More Mabel...

2008-06-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pictures of our precious puppy! She's doing great and is learning to sit on command already. Enjoy the pictures...

Mabel running around in her doggie pin.

Mabel giving Matt some sugar!

This one is for my Mom so she can see how big (or little) Mabel is.

check out those blue-green eyes!

bath time!

sleepy time!

play time!

Martin Fire Update

2008-06-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Martin Fire

Last Updated: June 15, 2008 7:00 a.m.

Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit

County: Santa Cruz County

Location: Bonny Doon and Martin Road

Acres Burned: 520 acres

Containment 90 percent containment - 520 acres

Structures Destroyed: 3 residences and 8 outbuildings have been destroyed. 1 residence and 2 outbuildings have been damaged.

Evacuations: No evacuations are imminent

Injuries: 1

Cause: Under Investigation

Cooperating Agencies: Santa Cruz Sherrifs Office, CO, RDS, California Conservation Corp, California Deparment of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Emergency Services, California Highway Patrol, Local Government Fire Departments, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Pacific Gas & Electric

Total Fire Personnel: 901 (541 CAL FIRE)

Fire crews: 29 (17 CAL FIRE)

Engines: 67 (41 CAL FIRE)

Airtankers: 2

Helicopters: 3 (1 CAL FIRE)

Dozers: 5 (All CAL FIRE)

Water tenders: 19

Costs to date: $3.2 million

Major Incident Command Team: Incident Command Team 8

Conditions: Continued perimeter control efforts with ground and air recourses. Suppression repair will be focusing on the Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve and Wilder Ranch State Park. Damage assessment has been completed. The updated information is reflected in the number of residences and structures lost and damaged. The following road closures remain in affect: Martin Road between Ice Cream Grade and Pine Flat Road. All roads are expected to be open 6-15-08.

Introducing:

2008-06-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

MABEL JEAN TROXELL!

We drove all the way to King City, CA and back today to pick up our new little family member!

We named her Mabel because I (Heather) really wanted to name our dog an "old lady" name-- I just thought it was funny! Jean is my Mom's middle name and I think it's funny when dogs go to the vet and have middle names on their paperwork. Troxell well, that's just obvious! :)

We just call her Mabel... which we found out tonight with a quick search on Google means lovable! And boy is she ever lovable!

Mabel is a pure bred Yellow Labrador. Her parents (Princess & Cash) are both Yellow Labs with brown eyes but they had puppies that ranged from all yellow & golden colored to bright white in color. Princess had a litter of 9 this time, 7 girls & 2 boys. Mabel and one of her sisters have brown noses and light blue eyes, it's pretty neat looking and that's why we picked her!

We're excited to train, love, walk, and show off our new little puppy!

na na na na-- na na na na HEY HEY HEY

2008-06-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Goodbye.

seeing the fire

2008-06-11T21:23:00.001-07:00

We went to the High School this evening for the SLV Booster's meeting (which was apparently had been canceled because of the fires but we didn't know that!) Anyway, we saw the smoke bilowing from the Mtns of Boony Doon... it was very quite in the Valley, you can definitely tell people are worried and for good reason too.

FIRE UPDATE #2

2008-06-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Santa Cruz County, Calif. -- Homes were evacuated Wednesday afternoon in the Bonny Doon area after a 50-acre wildfire began threatening nearby buildings. CAL FIRE officials said the fire was first reported just before 3 p.m. just off Martin Road in an area of heavy brush. Fire officials said they expect the fire to grow to as many as 1,000 acres before it's contained.

More than 1,400 residents have been evacuated from the Bonny Doon area. The Red Cross has set up a shelter at San Lorenzo Valley Middle School on the Felton campus. Julie Haff, superintendent of San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District said the cafeteria, gymnasium and administrative offices have been left open for residents fleeing the area."The size has grown considerably," Haff said. "The smoke covers the entire length of the football field at the high school."A Riverview High School graduation that was scheduled to take place this evening has been canceled, school officials said.Red Cross workers said 12 families have arrived at the evacuation site as of 6 p.m.Santa Cruz Animal Services workers are available to assist in evacuating livestock and domesticated animals. People needing assistance can call 831-454-7303 and press 1.The Scotts Valley Animal Shelter will be taking evacuated pets and animals and housing them free of charge until residents can return home.The shelter will remain open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday.More than 175 firefighters are working to battle the blaze.CAL FIRE officials said seven airtankers and more than 30 fire engines were at the blaze trying to defend nearby homes.This is the second major wildfire in Santa Cruz County in less than three weeks.The Summit Fire destroyed more than 30 homes and scorched more than 4,200 acres along Summit Road near Mt. Madonna over Memorial Day weekend.

Road Closures

FIRE UPDATE #1

2008-06-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Wildfire forces evacuations in hills north of Santa Cruz

June 11, 2008 6:24 PM ET

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) - About 1,500 residents in the heavily forested hills north of Santa Cruz are being told to leave their homes as a quick-moving wildfire spreads through the area.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the 300-acre blaze broke out in the Bonny Doon area of Santa Cruz County just before 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Battalion Chief Paul Van Gerwen says there have been 500 mandatory evacuations and 1,000 voluntary evacuations. About 1,000 residences are threatened by the fire, which has set several structures ablaze.

Van Gerwen says the fire could spread to as many as 1,000 acres before firefighters are able to slow down the flames.

A thick plume of smoke can be seen rising hundreds of feet above the rural hills as air tankers and helicopters race to the scene.

Fire. Please pray.

2008-06-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Fire. Close.

We've got a fire raging close to our house... about 6-8 miles as the crow flies. THIS IS WAY TOO CLOSE. Please pray for the Valley and the families that are in Bonny Doon, CA.

Thanks.

A typical Heather day

2008-06-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

So my friend Katie "tagged" all of her blog reading friends to do this... so here it goes! :)

A typical Heather day: (typical, what's that? ha!)

7:00 - 7:35am wake up/ get ready-- depends on how tired I am!
8:00- 8:10 get to work (notice no commute time 'cause I work like 200 yards from my house! :) -- go ahead, be jealous!)
8:20 walk over to the Dining Hall and get breakfast (it's a perk of working at a camp! I do the same for Lunch and Dinner a lot too!)
8:30 - 4:00 or 5:00 (depending on the day) sit at my desk-ugh, do work, check e-mail, answer calls, look out my window, watch people drive WAY TOO FAST over the speed bump, chat & laugh with Greg-- my "cubical brother", try and figure my life out-haha, check the calendar to see how many more days until payday, etc etc (also once a week I have a Chiropractor appt... lately my appointment has been on Tuesdays at 12pm... THAT'S TODAY-- yippee!)
**After work**
...here's where things change "seasonally"

February 1st - May 1st:
4:30pm - 6:15pm go to the High School Pool and stand on the deck and coach the JV Girls swim team! Matt coaches the JV Boys swim team at the same time, so that's fun!

May 2nd - August 25thish:
I can usually do what ever I want in the afternoons! :) Except during the week of 4th of July... this is our busiest week at camp... I worked like 86 hours in 5 days last year! :) whew!

August 25thish - November 5thish:
At least 2x's a week I go to the High School pool to watch Water Polo games since Matt coaches Varsity boys WP. I like to go to his tournaments on the weekends too!

November 6thish - January 31st:
This is when I lay low, do the whole holiday season thing, sort of hibernate, and gear up for swim season... that's pretty much it.

We also Lead Young Life Club every Monday night from 6:30pm - 9:30pm.

I don't know if this daily schedule actually does my life justice or not... but that's all I can think of for right now. We definitely keep busy, that's for sure! :)

wedding season

2008-06-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

We went to a wedding today for our friends Abrem and Wendy Estorga (congrats!) at Highlands Park which is the same place we got married almost 3 years ago! We had a lovely time and it reminded me what a great day our wedding was and how thankful I am to be married to Matt. I love you Bubs! :)

Sea World!

2008-06-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from our day at Sea World!

Isaac enjoying his time at Sea World! :)

Picture with a trainer!

Ella watching Shamu do a "trick!" (yes, she's saying "Oooooo!")

Check out her sweet sparkley pink purse she got for her birthday! :)

cute kids!

2008-06-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

I was able to go back to Florida a month ago for Ella's 4th birthday. I had a great time visiting with friends and family and spending a day at Sea World too (thanks Barbara!) But what I really wanted to say in this post was:

Seriously, how cute are these two kids?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

2008-06-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I love these girls!

GAS PRICES

2008-06-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

For the first time since 1997 it took me $75.85 to fill up my Jeep. This has gotten out of hand. By the way, that gas price of $4.07 a gallon was LAST WEEK... this week it's $4.17-$4.21... ugh

foot update...

2008-05-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Workman's Comp Dr thinks that I may NOT have broken my Sesamoid bone but instead I may have something called Sesamoiditis.

Sesamoiditis is an overuse injury involving chronic inflammation of the sesamoid bones and the tendons involve with those bones. Sesamoiditis is caused by increased pressure to the sesamoids. Often, sesamoiditis is associated with a dull, longstanding pain beneath the big toe joint. The pain comes and goes, usually occurring with certain shoes or certain activities.

Sesamoiditis treatments:

Stop the activity causing the pain. haha, ok
Take aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve the pain. check
Rest and ice the sole of your feet. Do not apply ice directly to the skin, but use an ice pack or wrap the ice in a towel. done
Wear soft-soled, low-heeled shoes. Stiff-soled shoes like clogs may also be comfortable. yep
Use a felt cushioning pad to relieve stress. done that... yawn
Return to activity gradually, and continue to wear a cushioning pad of dense foam rubber under the sesamoids to support them. Avoid activities that put your weight on the balls of the feet. umm... ok
Tape the great toe so that it remains bent slightly downward (plantar flexion). this I have not tried yet
Your doctor may recommend an injection of a steroid medication to reduce swelling. this is the newest thing... it looks like I'll be heading in for "injection therapy" (haha isn't that silly) which basically means I'll be getting a shot of Cortisone to ease the pain.
If symptoms persist, you may need to wear a removable short leg fracture brace for 4 to 6 weeks. that'll be attractive...

our room

2008-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

I started painting our room this weekend... it only took 2 hours to get a lot of it done but as you can see I'm not quite done yet! :) I'd like to get some new curtains too, maybe something that matches our duvet. Maybe greenish or blueish... not sure yet though.

mini éclair's etc

2008-05-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Mission Springs serves mini éclair's at lunch or dinner every so often and today was one of those days! However, they serve them frozen and that, I have to say, takes something away from them. Things in "mini" size are just cuter... like the "lp" (littler person) boy outside my office window playing basketball right now or these things:

cats/kittens
dogs/puppies
cars (ie mini cooper)
myself- haha
communion cups instead of regular cups
mini sized bottles at the grocery store

fire update

2008-05-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

The Summit Fire that ignited Thursday morning (this fire is about 20 miles away from our house) It quickly devoured 3,200 acres and at least 10 homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains may be contained quicker thanks to cooler temperatures, a shift in wind direction to the south, fog and higher humidity.

The Quail Hollow Fire, which is MUCH closer to our house (approximately 3 miles away.) Has been fully contained!

Wildfire rages in Santa Cruz Mountains

2008-05-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

We've got a wildfire raging in the Santa Cruz Mountains today... you can read more about it here. It's gone from 50 acres burned to 1,500 acres burned in 4 hours.

Hopefully the firefighters will be able to get it under control or even out soon. Please pray for the people that live and work in the areas Summit Road, Mount Madonna Road, and Corralitos.

sesamoid update...

2008-05-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

it could or could not be broken but for the mean time I'm gonna rock a metatarsal bar in my shoe... no flip flops for a while I guess... boo. The "met bar" fits inside the shoe and supports the bones in and around the area that I may or may not have broken... ugh the life of me.

what in the world?

2008-05-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here's something I copied and pasted from the Weather Channel website...

May 15, 2008

Sunny

high 99°
low 55°

Yes, it's true... it is supposed to be 99 flippin' degrees in Scotts Valley tomorrow. I did not move here for this kind of weather. But hey, one day out of 365 isn't too bad I guess!

kickball = broken sesamoid

2008-05-13T22:10:00.001-07:00

So, it looks like I may have broken a bone in my , to be specific, the sesamoid bone. I did this in an intense game of KICKBALL during a work "meeting." Geezh. I'll find out more either late this week or next Monday... so stay tuned.

Just do it.

2008-05-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

My sister put this on her blog and when she did I checked it out and then I did it and now I'm better person for doing it! You should do it too. Go here if you want to do it too.

camping vs. cleaning

2008-04-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

Matt went camping and climbing at Pinnacles National Monument today and into tomorrow with some guys and I'm home cleaning! Don't get me wrong... it's actually kind of nice since I can't remember the last time I spend a Saturday night by myself! :)

Banana Slug Club...

2008-04-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention in my previous post that when I participated in (Mission Springs) Outdoor Education last fall I became an official member of the Banana Slug Club! To get in the "Club" you've gotta put a Banana Slug on your nose for 10 seconds! I did it and now I'm an official card carrying member! And yes, they actually have cards they hand out! Mine is hanging on my bulletin board at work! :)

Banana Slug!

2008-04-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh the wonders of Santa Cruz! :) Two weeks ago when we were leaving for Church I saw this Banana Slug in our yard and snapped a quick picture of it.

I just love the way the Banana Slug looks and the good it does for our Redwood Forests by decomposing the stuff it encournters! Plus the Banana Slug has it's very own band and songs! You can see what I mean here...

My first "meme"

2008-04-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

What I was doing ten years ago:

I was at the tail end of my Senior year at Lake Howell High School! (Which means I will be celebrating my 10 year High School reunion this year!!!! Crazy!) I had just been accepted to Palm Beach Atlantic University and was SOOOOOOO excited about attending. It was a great time of life!

Five snacks I enjoy:

1. Yogurt and fresh fruit
2. Riesen's
3. York Peppermint Pattie
4. Almonds
5. Oranges

Five jobs I have held:

1. Produce Stand Cashier!-- This was my first job at the ripe old age of 15!
2. Don Pablo's Tex-Mex Hostess-- I spent many a weekend seating guests at their table... we even had a smoking section back then, can you believe it?
3. Palm Beach Recreation Center-- I helped kiddos and hung out with my friends who also worked there... that's pretty much all I did!
4. Camp Counselor at the legendary Wild Oak Camp-- that was a glorious summer and job!
5. Young Life Area Administrator-- why did I ever leave?

Five habits:

1. I have to arrange my dishes in some sort of stacked order before I can start to wash them.
2. I shake my leg to go to sleep at night but I don't have restless leg syndrome... probably just OCD!
3. I always put my right leg in my pants first or right sock on first too when getting ready... again this is probably a sign of OCD.
4. I only set my alarm clock for something on the 0's or 5's... example: 8:00, 8:05, 8:10, etc...
5. I hold my pee for a really long time. I don't know why but I always wait like 2 hours past when I feel like I need to go.

Five Places I have lived:

1. Orlando, Florida
2. West Palm Beach, Florida
3. London, England
4. Scotts Valley, California
5. Mt. Hermon, California

I'm tagging Carissa for this "meme" 'cause she's the only one that reads my blog anyway!

F-A-S-H-I-O-N... that spells FASHION!

2008-04-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

Matt and I headed out to the high school tonight to see the San Lorenzo Valley 2008 Fashion Show which was titled "Fashion: Through The Lens". We hadn't realized until tonight that eight out of ten of the Designers are swimmers and about 90% of the models also swim!! It was really well done and we had a great time supporting our kids in one of their other talents! :) Plus it's always a treat to see the kids dolled up (ie Prom etc) and not just in their Speedos like we normally do on the pool deck! Below are some pics from the evening... enjoy!

Dominique sporting her own design

Adian in an outfit by Katie D.

Kristin- jacket & purse by Sarah M.

Sarah M. in her own work! :) (her stuff was AMAZING!)

shower update...

2008-04-12T22:33:00.001-07:00

So, Matt's been working very hard on our shower when ever he has a spare moment. And ya know, it's starting to shape up! We now have new plumbing, walls, and a shower pan! (See old posts for pictures of our old nasty shower pan... it was gross.) My husband is the best! He is so handy and impresses me with just how much he knows and can do! I've got a winner, that's for sure!

prayers

2008-04-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

needed.

egm

2008-04-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

So, I've got this niece... Ella.

She's "almost 4" and has been "almost 4" since November but her birthday happens to be in May! Ella is hilarious! I got to talk to her on the phone today. We've spoken many times before but never in such great detail and length as the way we did today. You know, I would mark today, April 1, 2008, as our first offical "real conversation" as Niece and Aunt and boy was it a fun one! We spoke mostly about her day and how it was going. Then we got to the main question: what she wants for her 4th birthday. The answer: a musical brown pony (but it could also possibly have wings and it could be red, pink, or sparkley too!!) Not sure where to find that but I try!

Anyway, this post is basically a shout out to my Sister and Brother-in-law for doing such a good job over the last 4 years in raising Ella... she's great and I can't wait to celebrate her 4th birthday with her very soon!!!

Aunt Heather & Ella at the beach in September 2007!

Carissa and Isaac

2008-03-30T18:21:00.001-07:00

My beautiful sister, Carissa, sent me this picture today and I just had to share it. In case you didn't konw, this picture is of Carissa and my new nephew Isaac. Isn't it such a cute picture? Really though, they are a very good looking family! You can read and see more of the Mastry Family on their blog!

story of a shower (part deux)

2008-03-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

So... our shower has become more of a major project than we expected it to (of course, right?!) Here are some pictures of what we've been up to this weekend...

door off-- check!

Heather being a good helper! (btw-I know I look like a goober in this outfit...)

Heather hurt her finger-- OF COURSE! :( (Ok, so it doesn't look that bad in this picture but it HURTS really bad.)

4 Ibuprofen and she was back in the game!

Matt taking down the walls of the shower.

Matt taking up the old shower pan

here is what was lying beneath the shower pan... yuck.

Matt diggin' in

the hole as of yesterday...

and the hole today.

Matt moved the electrical lines around so they won't be in the way and he took some of the old nasty wood out too. He's gonna try and finish the whole thing up tomorrow, as he has the day "off!"

story of a shower

2008-03-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

So, our shower needs to be fixed. This means we have our first major home repair on our hands. Well, at least it's “major” to me. Matt would just call it "a day at the office."

Here's the story:
As I was showering Tuesday morning I pulled up our shower mat and noticed a small hole starting to develop next to our drain. The hole was letting water from our daily showers go down into the floor instead of down the drain. Honestly, the hole comes as NO surprise because our shower is SUPER ghetto. However, we were willing to live with the nastiness of our shower until we were ready to remodel that part of the house. But because of the hole it looks like we'll be starting on the shower a little sooner than we expected... like this weekend! Tonight I decided that I'd help with the demolition process and below are the pictures of what developed during the demo!

when we bought the house (we put a shower mat down before we use it though)

going at it with the hammer

here's what it looked like after I was done with it...

Heather: "Demo is fun! & Yay! A new shower is on the way!"
Matt: "ugh... there goes my Saturday..."

Easter pictures

2008-03-23T21:08:00.001-07:00

yummy food!

Ocean, Selah, and Josh!

Sarah, Janet, and Sarah!

Ocean found the money Egg!

Josh helping Ocean find eggs!

bunny cake!

Easter

2008-03-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday! We had a lovely Easter. We started with church at 9am and followed with a Easter Lunch with friends (about 25 friends!) We even had an Easter Egg Hunt in our front yard! Hope you had a great Easter too!

how can it be August?

2007-08-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

welp, we've been rafting and to Mexico in the time that has past since our last post... now I'm training for a triathlon... we'll see how that goes! I'm not feeling to confident at this point. But I figure I can always swim slow, bike at a decent pace and then walk the run, right? We'll see how it goes...

Bloggers

2007-06-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, we're officially bogging... and by "we're" I mean Heather. Matt will contribute to the blog through dictation only! :)