32 Big Ones

In honor of Ryan's 32nd birthday, I thought I'd share 32 things about my man.

1. He was born in Provo, Utah and is still a BYU fan (his mom says he could say "blue" at 6 months old--or some other ridiculously young age). He even played trumpet in the marching band for two years before his mission. He graduated from BYU with a degree from the Business School in Information Systems.
   
2. He likes to go geocaching. Today he took the kids while I visited Megan--he and the kids found five caches, and they even found a travel bug in one of them.
   
   
   
3. He loves soccer and he played in high school...
4. ...until his leg was brutally broken during a game in his junior year. He kept the cast (and the rod that was in his leg) for a ridiculously long time. It might still be lurking somewhere around here.
   
5. He used his "extra" time while his leg was healing to learn to play the piano.
6. He still loves soccer and he has been coaching Olivia's team for a couple of years. He just started indoor soccer too.
   
7. He loves playing games--all kinds.
   
8. He usually wins, it doesn't matter what the game is. He doesn't believe in throwing a game just to build confidence in his kids (or in his wife, who sometimes throws hissy fits when she loses).
   
9. He's a great dad and both of his kids LOVE to be around him.
   
10. He loves to take pictures.
11. He's pretty good at it (check this out).
    
12. He likes to eat out (or maybe that's me?). Today we enjoyed his free bowl of noodles from Noodles & Company. We both think it's a lovely thing they do around birthday time to send a coupon for a free dish.
    
    
    
13. He's a good cook--he is especially good at making frozen raspberry lemonades and cajun chicken pasta.
    
14. He likes to plan fun and creative dates.
15. He hates paying for babysitters.
16. He likes good TV just as much as I do.
17. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Vina Del Mar, Chile.
18. He met his wife on his mission, and he really didn't like her at first.
19. He hates to paint. His wife has been known to paint a wall or a room or two while he's out of town.
    
20. He knows everything there is to know about computers and he has never-ending patience with his wife and others that aren't so savvy.
    
21. He hasn't had to interview for a job in many, many years. (Let's hope this one stays true for many years to come!)
22. He loves to tease and tickle his kids and his wife.
23. He is a Scouting pro--he is an Eagle Scout and he finished his Wood Badge training. He's had almost every calling there is in the Scouting program and he currently serves as the Scout Committee Chair.
    
24. He's really good at Rock Band and Guitar Hero. He can even play on "expert" level.
    
25. He has gone to Bear Lake every year since he was a wee one with his extended family (except for his mission years). He is really good about resisting the urge to purchase and consume Bear Lake raspberry shakes on Fast Sundays, despite the social pressures all around him.
    
26. He hearts his iPhone and all the apps that are on it.
    
27. He really hates bumper stickers and cutesie vinyl things on cars.
28. He hates getting clothes for gifts but he LOVES getting iTunes gift cards.
    
    
    
29. He loves music and has a great singing voice. On his mission he carried a pitch pipe, which his future-wife thought was kinda nerdy. He just shared the GREAT news with his wife--he found his pitch pipe.
    
30. He doesn't have a problem saying no, although his wife often commits him to things he probably would say no to. He's usually a good sport about it.
    
31. He has a great sense of humor and he likes to play practical jokes.
    
32. His favorite cake is German Chocolate, and he gets exactly one made from scratch for him per year, on his birthday. Unless it's 2009 and we didn't invite anyone to share the goodness with us. Then he gets German Chocolate Cake (from a Betty Crocker mix) muffins, still topped with the tasty (to him) homemade coconut-pecan frosting, minus the maraschino cherry on top.
    

Happy Birthday Ryan!!! We love you!!!