Happy Birthday Dad

Indeed Adam and I are out on our cruise now, which is why I just love the post option on blogger that allows me to save a date I want the blog to actually go live.

So I hope that while we're enjoying our cruise my dad is having a fabulous birthday! Sorry I'm not there to make you some crazy cupcakes as well, but I would have if I was!

Here are a few fun facts about my dad that makes him the funloving person he is that have influenced me over the years and make me happy to call him my Dad...

• He collects things and it rubbed off on me, for a while anyway. When I was little I collected pens, porcelin dolls, those little pressed pennies, souvinere spoons, charms, anything that was little and delicate, I wanted to collect. I've pretty much given up most of those things now, except for charms, I love building my charm bracelet with small tokens from the places I go. Here is a sampling of things my dad has collected of ther years that influenced me in my early year; Watches, Chess Sets, McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, T-Shirts, German Steins, wind chimes, etc.


• He has a worm farm. It's gorss, but it's resourceful. Basically any watermelon rinds, egg shells, unused parts of food, he give it to the worm and gets himself some compost, which leads to...


• He loves to garden. I remember when we were little and we would be so excited to go and see the prodcue his garden was sprouting up. Everything from grean beans to artichokes, he's grown it. I remember helping pulling weeds and sneaking samplings of the fresh peas from the pod off the vine. Delicious! I did not inherit this love for gardening however, I can't seem to keep plants alive, especially since our patio doesn't get any sun being blocked by building.


• According to his license plate from from Sport's Chalet, He'd rahter be riding his bike. My dad has been riding his bike for as long as I can remember. He rides to work almost everyday, and wouldn't you know I turned into a bicyclist myself.
  
• He recycles. He has a can for recycling and goes and takes in the bottles and cans and you know what he does with the money he gets from it? He saves it up as "fun money" so he can buy things he enjoys, which leads me to...


• He surfs (or is attempting to anyway) - My dad was not a surfer growing up, sure he'd tried it a few times, but never had his own board or went out with my brother or anything, but what I love about my dad is that he isn't afraid to try new things, so with some of his fun money he was able to put it toward a surf board and a couple years ago starting hitting the waves, just proving to me to never say it's too late to try something new.
  

It's amazing looking back the influence that my Dad has been in my life. While my mom and I very much alike, I never really realized all the things my dad and I have in common too.

Happy Birthday Dad! Love you!

I thought this was a sweet picture of my mom and Dad, at my Mom's graduation.... My Dad's so proud!