Daddy-o turns 37!!!!

Can he really be 37? Let me think....8 years of schooling, four kids, one pet, 6 apartments, two houses, one dental practice, one office building, a thousand grey hairs...yep. He must be 37.

When Ted got to work we had decorated his office. I am sure his staff thinks his wife is a dork, but it is still fun to surprise him. When he came home we had his favorite: crab (actually, we had soup while he ate crab and Emma and Sam had a few bites - no one else is an enormous crab fan!) Then for dessert? No cake for Ted. His favorite is pie. We had lemon pie, and then a few days later finished off the cherry pie as well.

Ted is such a great guy I thought I would share a few things you may or may not know about him:

1. Ted says what he means, and he means what he says.

2. Ted used to do triathlons, and although he did one this past summer as a team, he has switched to bike racing. He's pretty amazing at it as well! Last summer he raced in five races - this year he is hoping for more.

3. He is the reigning champion of the ward tennis tournament. Since they only had one, he has yet to be defeated. He only gets to play about four times a year - so either this means he is awesome or the competition is......well, I just think he is awesome.
4. Do you know how much weight he has gained since we were married in 1993? Three pounds.
5. He has a wicked sweet tooth. The current stash in his nightstand? A two pound bag of peanut M&Ms, Sour Patch kids, Mike & Ikes, and Starburst candies. You can imagine how frustrating it is given item #4!
6. Ted bleeds blue. Ted tries to catch almost every game whether it is at his office because we don't carry the network at our house, at our house taped on DVR so he can watch it faster, or at a friend's house, he tries to catch most games. Interestingly, how many games did he go and see when he actually attended BYU? One. (He was always playing soccer).
7. Ted is the coach of Emma's select soccer team.
8. Ted is a great skiier, but he admits to being more timid as time has pressed on!
9. I swear Ted looks more distinguished and youthful every year. I am always telling him that we will be like George and Barbara Bush - she looks like she could be his mother! Of course, on a couple of occasions patients have questioned whether or not he is old enough to have finished dental school, so I guess looking youthful has its downside too.
10. When he sets his mind to something, watch out. I'm not sure that I know very many people who can get up at 5:45 every morning to go ride their bike - in the garage! He will ride on the bike trainer almost every day for over an hour carefully monitoring speed, power, etc. This is to make sure that when it is nice enough for outside riding again he is ready. Personally, just thinking of staring at the garage wall is enough to make me want to sleep in!
11. He has two favorite sayings - both of which are said with a dry sense of humor to lighten a situation: First, for when he is a bit stressed about how work is going: "I guess we may just end up in a cardboard box down by the river." Second, for when we aren't supporting his love of biking enough: "I guess I'll have to give up my dream of being in the Tour de France."



More random facts? He sleeps with a pillow over his head, he hates when you talk to him when he is working out, loves having the kids join him for situps and pushups, loves having nerf gun fights, loves the winter, dislikes being too hot, never balances his checkbook (don't worry, I do), eats a Carnation instant drink for breakfast EVERY day, is very quick to appreciate a clean house or a good meal, loves having friends over, is the favorite to jump with on the trampoline, hates gophers, loves tomatoes from the vine, loves "The Office", loves sucking on limes and lemons, and salts everything!


Quite frankly, we think he is the best husband and father! Happy birthday, Ted!