MuddyGrrl:
What are your future plans for the FJ?
EDWARD: Firstly, to pay it off then take it off road in all 49 continental states. After I win the lottery, ship it to Hawaii and drive there too.
MISTY: First I’m going to buy an armrest for he passenger seat, then I’m going to paint it pink and claim it as my own when Ed's not looking.
MG: What will your FJ look like years from now?
EDWARD: Covered in Linex! And it will have a winch, so that Scott (missmy60) doesn't have to drive an hour into the Talladega Nat'l Forest at night to save me.
MISTY: Probably covered in even more pin stripes and hopefully with a roof rack because it would really come in handy when we pack up all that camping stuff!
MG: What will you look back on and remember most?
EDWARD: Dear Lord, where do I begin? Do I start with the Amish women, or should we talk about Akoda and his welcome mat story. Maybe we can talk about how everyone in Florida likes my wife’s “balls” (white chocolate covered Oreos balls). The rides are fun but the memories of the good times after are the best.
MISTY: Going to ride in Harlan, KY a year ago where I met the rest of the Smokey Mt Cruisers for the first time. It resulted in meeting some great people that I’ve had lots of great times with since.
MG: What has the forum done for you and what can the forum learn from you?
BOTH: It provided a venue to meet some great people and make friends that we would have never met otherwise. If there's ever a technical issue that comes up, it's the best place to go to get answers from people in the know. And for all non-FJ related issues, we can always ask the Belly Doc.
MG: What is the most unusual thing about you?
BOTH: It seems like people who “see” us on the forum wonder if we really are “like that” in person.
The truth is, yes, we REALLY are like that! We do give each other heck all of the time and enjoy it without taking it personally. That's just who we are. When we're together goofing off and having fun, it tends to rub off on those around us.
MG What was the best day of your life?
BOTH: We actually both agree on the same day, what a shock! Jan 19, 2001, the day our daughter Taylor was born.
MG Where or what is your most desired adventure/excursion?
EDWARD: To travel from Alabama to Alaska.
MISTY: Pretty much anywhere on the West Coast where I would have the chance to meet and ride with some of the forum members from the other side of the country that I talk with regularly online.
MG: What is your favorite trail/trip?
EDWARD: Eglin in Florida. We don't get to go to the beach much. The cookout on the beach where we got to eat Willy was awesome and we got to ride with some friends and meet new people that we don't really get to ride with very much.
MISTY: So far I would have to say the trails in Skyline, AL. The trails are awesome and generally there are a lot of people who show up to wheel there and have fun afterwards.
MG: What is your favorite modification to date?
EDWARD: The CB! Because if you've ever met me, you know I can talk you to death and the CB lets me do that on the trails.
MISTY: The sliders. I’m pretty rough on them and know that they’ve saved Ed’s rig from some rock damage while I was driving. I know that if I ever do any major damage, I probably won't be able to kick him out of the driver's seat as easily.
MG: What mod would you not do again?
EDWARD: There's really nothing I wouldn't do again. Maybe in the future I'd swap the front spacers over to coil overs.
MG: How do you expect your mods to benefit you?
EDWARD: Having the right equipment helps get you into places that you would never have the chance to see otherwise. Most mods make off roading safer and cuts down on the trail damage.
MG: What does your FJ do for you? How has it affected your life?[/b]
EDWARD: It's turned in to something that we can take out as a family whether it's around here locally, or going on a trail runs with others from the forum and having some of the best times of our lives.
MISTY: Since we started making trips to ride, we've gone some places and done some things that we'd never had the opportunity to do before.
MG: What other recreation do you enjoy?
BOTH: We are both HUGE college football fanatics--the Alabama Crimson Tide in particular. When football season starts we watch games from sun up to sun down every Saturday, any team, any conference, so long as it's a good game.
MG: Who are you in real life?
EDWARD: I am a sales rep for a remodeling company. I love to converse with people and it’s the perfect job for me. My favorite part of the day is taking my daughter to school. Since I work a lot of nights, it’s “my” time I get to spend with her without anyone else.
P.S. does anyone want a Yorkie? We have a spare I am willing to part with.
MISTY: In real life I work in accounting for a real estate developer—if I had my choice I’d be a novelist or dolphin trainer or maybe a Ninja.
Truthfully, I love the FJ on the weekends, but I have always been a Mustang fanatic and drive one of my own during the week. I am abnormally obsessed with my 3 Yorkies and cheesy 80’s music and movies, both of which drive Ed nuts. Generally, I’m pretty random and spur of the moment and can usually be found just hanging out with friends.
MG: Why did you buy your FJ?
EDWARD: For starters, it was cheaper on gas than my Expedition but still fit what I needed for work at the time. I was originally going to buy a 2WD, but after reading on this forum the week before I actually bought it, I worried about the difference in resale value. But now, the scratches should take care of that.
MISTY: I remember when I met him at the dealership to look at it with him, I looked at him like he was crazy and said, "Why on Earth would you EVER need something that's 4 wheel drive!?" Boy was I clueless!
MG: What is your favorite music? What CD’s are in your player right now?
EDWARD: Anything but Country! Right now on my iPod I'm listening to Shinedown, Passenger, Dropkick Murphy and Asher Roth.
MISTY: Mostly rock-ish type music. Right now I have Passenger - Wicked Man's Rest in my CD player. If you have never heard of them, I highly suggest you check them out!
MG: What is your favorite food?
BOTH: Again, something we agree on. HOT WINGS! The hotter, the better. Seriously, we eat them a couple times a week.
MG: Did you have a previous vehicle that was as fun as your FJ?
BOTH: As far as being as "fun" as the FJ, nope...nowhere near as fun.
MG How & why do you participate on the Forum?
EDWARD: I learned very quickly to stay away from political threads! I love the SMC section and chat when I get the chance.
MISTY: Because it's just one more place where I can annoy the crap out of Ed. It's something that I can log on and do to 'escape' for a few minutes and can always find someone or some story to make me laugh. And if I can make someone else smile, well that's just a bonus.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
MG: Not everyone knows that you are married and both participate in this forum. Tell us how this has affected your married life. Please leave out any *ahem* explicit details!
EDWARD: It gives us a place where we can come in, joke around and have a good time. We communicate through the forum sometimes when we're not around each other when we normally wouldn't talk. (You guys think we're rough on each other ON the forum, you should read some of our PMs!)
MISTY: Shhh…not everyone needs to know that we’re married. Just kidding...honestly, it just gave us one more thing that we have in common with each other where we can 'connect' with friends. During the week, we have very conflicting work schedules and may only see each other for an hour each day. The forum is a place where we can both log on as time allows and stay in contact.
MG: When you attend off-roading events, do you both share in the driving and if not, why not?
EDWARD: It's funny, we were just talking about this the other day. The first time I let Misty drive, I did it just thinking that maybe it she might get into it just a little bit. (Guys, don't ever do that!) Now, if we go into a rough section, I actually feel more comfortable getting out to spot and letting her drive.
MISTY: We both do--I have no problem kicking Ed out of the driver's seat when I get the urge. (I have witnesses that can attest to that.) He can’t argue…I’m fairly decent at it.
MG: Who is the better cook between you and what are your specialties?
EDWARD: We both have different specialties. I am the king of breakfast and anything that has to do with grilling meat. Misty is really good at making Jello (shots).
MISTY: It depends on what it is. I tend to be really good at cheesecake and Red Velvet Cake and make a really mean Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, or at least that's what I've been told.
MG: How did you meet?
EDWARD: As I was sleeping one night, God came to me and said, "Son, you must take one for the team. Satan's daughter must walk on this Earth and she will need a sacrificial lamb...and you must be that lamb.
PS, watch out for her father's pitchfork...she will be a real pain in your ass."
MISTY: Well, I remember the story a bit differently. One wintry day in December of 1997, my father's kingdom froze over and he said, "Child, you must walk the Earth and find a poor, unsuspecting lamb in order to restore balance within the force. Here, you can borrow my pitchfork."
BOTH: In all seriousness, we met through a mutual friend in 1997. Funny thing is, a different mutual friend had tried to introduce us to each other about 6 months earlier.
MG: And, finally, this is where you get to show your nutty side.... as if you haven't already!
I, Misty Stafford, vow to protect my comrades from forest dwelling Amish nomads, to make sure there is always room for Jello, tie together any shoes and Siran wrap vehicles as needed, keep a sharp eye out for unicorns stalking Mexican restaurants and never steal anyone’s breadsticks. And above all, I vow to do it all in the most Christian way possible.
I, Edward Stafford, had a dream that one day little FJ boy and Little Jeep boys will play in the mud together, winch each other out of predicaments, and drink a Brandy and coke afterwards. I had a dream that there will be an East coast summit one day. I had a dream that Toyota will make sealed idler pulleys. I had a dream that the Squires will stop changing my Avatar. I had a dream that I would drive on the trails for more than an hour with out Misty asking “When is it my time to drive?” Free at last. Free at last. Will some one winch me out this mud hole so I can be free at last.
Thanks, you two. That was a lot of fun!
Maureen/MuddyGrrl
next time I hope I wheel in your group! 
Fabtech 6" Lift + OME 3" 20" BBS rims Nitto 35"s AT,1.25 spacers,Bushwhackers, VR3 The Toy Outfitters bumper ,55 watt fogs,TG sliders, Manik tailight guards, Stallion Light bar,55 watt Baja lights, Cobra 19 SXIV PA, Bandi 4' fire stick, K & N filter, Locker on demand, ATrac hack, VSC & DRL switches, TRD Cat back, Scuba Mod, Garmin Nuvi 200 BlueSeas 6 fuse Interior: leather seats, dual arm rests, dual factory DVD players, Diamond interior trim, Source 10lb, Rubber mats. TT and FJC Badge.
Linear Mode
