Happy Tuesday and, more importantly, HAPPY 35th BIRTHDAY TO MAL!!!
When I think about really amazing people, Mal will always be the first person who comes to mind. He’s the greatest husband, father, friend, and honestly, he’s just an awesome human. He’s been stuck with me for 20 (!!) years – married for 9, together for 14, and friends since high school. It is an incredible honor to have Mal by my side, and I can’t imagine life any other way. He’s the best person I know in every since of the word. To celebrate 35 years of Mal, here are 35 reasons why I love him so very much:
- What you see is what you get. Mal is straight-forward, honest, and doesn’t have a phony bone in his body.
- Related: He not a fan of sugar-coating anything. He’ll tell it like it is – no matter what the situation!
- He’s a “glass half full” kind of guy and always sees the good in things.
- Mal is an awesome dad. I truly couldn’t have asked for a better father to my child.
- He likes to act silly with Quinn. And Murphy. And me.
- He’s wicked smaht, especially when it comes to history and current events.
- He always has something to say. (At times this is considered a negative. Haha!)
- Mal can hold a conversation with just about anyone.
- He’s friendly and has no problem making new friends.
- Related: He’s good about keeping in touch with old friends.
- Mal is a really fun guy (fungi) and enjoys goofy puns.
- He’s also a really funny guy. Well, ok, Mal and I have actually talked about this extensively in the past, and we’ve determined that he’s an averagely funny guy, but I just happen to think he’s hilarious!
- He’s always up for an adventure – unless it’s Friday night and then he wants to park his butt on the couch with Quinn and me (and Murphy in his bean bag).
- Mal likes to travel.
- He’s a good traveler and goes with the flow.
- He enjoys good food, both healthy and not-so-healthy.
- Mal isn’t a picky eater, which makes dining out a lot of fun with him.
- Mal has a fantastic sense of humor and loves to laugh.
- He’s not easily offended and doesn’t take life too seriously.
- He always gives people the benefit of the doubt.
- Mal is an animal lover and shows great compassion for them.
- He’s a good athlete, especially as a runner. I mean, who runs their first marathon in 3:15 with barely any training?! Seriously.
- Mal loves technology and often “updates” our home with the coolest new stuff. Things often just appear, but I can’t say that I hate it! 🙂 He also updates my iPhone. And laptop. And, well, my whole life. Technology is not my thing.
- He’s handsome!
- He dresses well and inspires me to not look like a slob all the time! 🙂
- Mal is an excellent teacher. Students, staff, and parents all love him.
- He’s meticulous and does things the right way, the first time.
- He knows how to relax and enjoy life.
- Mal can laugh at himself.
- He’s organized.
- And clean. I never have to worry about him leaving a huge mess. Just receipts. All over the house.
- He makes some killer cake-like pancakes.
- He’s kind to everyone he meets.
- He goes above and beyond for his family and friends.
- Mal makes me feel loved everyday.
As some of you might know, Mal loves anything Funfetti. In honor of his special day, I whipped up a Funfetti protein shake, so you can quite literally have your cake and eat it too! 🙂 I hope you guys love this smoothie as much as we do. It totally hits the spot when we’re craving something sweet!
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop (30g) of vanilla protein powder
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles + more for garnish
- whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
1. In a blender, combine vanilla protein powder, banana, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, vanilla almond milk, honey, and sprinkles. Blend until smooth.
2. Spread remaining 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt on a plate. Dip the rim of your glass into the yogurt. Sprinkle sprinkles onto rim.
3. Pour smoothie into a glass and serve cold. Whipped cream optional!