Happy 60th to my Dad!

This post is likewise long overdue, but I couldn't not do a tribute post for my dad's 60th birthday! This year was extra special because his birthday and Father's Day fell on the same Sunday, so we all got to be there to celebrate both special occasions.

Because this birthday was quite a milestone, we naturally had to dig up a selection of old pictures. We put together an album with hundreds of pictures in collages from his childhood till now. Here are some of my favorites:

Aren't these precious? I love that my grandparents took lots of pictures of their kids. My Grandpa was stationed in Hawaii when my dad was born, and we like to joke that my dad has "true" Hawaiian blood because he had to have a blood transfusion right after birth. His little Hawaiian outfit on the left is my favorite!

 Growing up as a kid in Minnesota. He always had his chihuahua with him.

High school graduation pictures - his expression on the left is priceless!

 Aaaand enter the baby pictures. It would probably surprise you to know that I wasn't even the chunkiest out of all my siblings, either! :)

 This has to be one of my all-time favorites. We were at an amusement park in Upstate New York and my dad specifically did my hair like that so I would meet the height requirements for all the rides. Haha. 

Family picture on my baptism day

Thanks to my dad, I've been able to travel to so many places across the world and experience so many cities and cultures. During my senior year of high school, I got to tag along with him on his Europe routes for 24-hour layovers in Frankfurt, Zurich, and Edinburgh. Also, he deserves an extra special award for agreeing to take four teenage girls to Hawaii for my 16th birthday. Ha.

What I love about traveling with my dad is he's not  your typical tourist. He makes it a point to go off the beaten path to find the "true" cultural experiences. I think it's impossible for him to get lost in any country.

My dad is a pretty simple guy and didn't really want any fanfare for his special day. But he did request his favorite pineapple upside down cake. Thanks to Pinterest I found an awesome recipe that turned out perfect. We got to have my sister and her family on Skype while opening presents so it almost felt like we were all together!

Some other good Pinterest finds for dinner. Yum!

I'm one lucky girl to have a dad like mine. He's the most kind, patient, supportive, and insightful person I know. Even though he's 60, he still acts like he's 30 when he's on the ski hill, the bike trail, or anywhere else that requires athleticism. He's a machine! I hope that when I'm 60 I can even be half as great of a person as he is. Love you, dad!