The Birthday Blog... 26 going on 12!!!

The bag says, "eat more cake"... That could
have been the theme of my birthday. 
So MANY SWEETS!

Yep, it's that time of year again... I always forget it's coming until the day it arrives and it always seems to come as a huge shock to me.  Then, not only has the month just changed and I have to remember that it's now October and not September anymore; but I also have to remember that I'm now 26 and no longer 25 years of age... Talk about confused!  Twenty-six... Is the birthday maker sure about this?  I'm thinking there's a flaw in this fact because I still can't believe that I'm growing up.  And to quote my own birthday facebook status, "Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional." Can I get an amen?! =]

My card from "the boys".
It's pretty darn cute if ya ask me!
I knew the pictures I take of my guys
would come in handy some day! ;)
You can click on any images to enlarge them.

I go about my day like the rest... I get ready and go on my merry way to Central Maui Animal Clinic, where I spend a lot of time loving on animals, (not a bad gig!).  I'm doing what I do and then all of a sudden, there's lattes from Starbucks, (and even some extras to give away to clients!). Then appears a scrumptious apple dessert from Maui's family owned "Stillwell's Bakery" with fresh pineapple chunks on the side.  THEN I'm given a card signed by my amazing and humorous co-workers alongside a Starbucks gift bag; (like I'm not Miss Super Energy already!).  Needless to say, I'm blown away... To the owner, Dr. Martin; and to the manager, Kelly, and all the staff and my friends there, "Mahalo!".  I felt the love.

Wine sipping, bucket listing, and
 lovin' the atmosphere.

So I left work at 12:30, totally baffled by the hugs and love I got just for growing older.  Tommy's off work and when I get home he asks me to get dressed, (out of scrubs), to go out after I get my awesome homemade card cleverly done by the boys and my favorite natural licorice.  "Out" was to Paia, (that amazing two street hippy town that I love OH SO much!), and we eat at one of my favorite places, Cafe Des Amis, (best crepes EVER!).  We sat outside on a bench, all alone in the middle of the afternoon, and sipped on a $19 bottle of red wine from France that was excellent for the price tag.  We agreed that we both felt we were in Europe rather than in Hawaii. 

 Our servers, (yes, everyone that works there serves you), were about our age... All tremendously nice, and even one of them was fresh off the plane from Morgantown, West Virginia, (go figure!).  It wasn't until I stood up to tinkle that I realized I had a good birthday buzz happening and ordered their Mediterranean platter to share.  We reviewed our travel lists and bucket lists that I keep nice and secure in my journal and made plans for the years to come.  Randomly, out of Tommy's pocket comes a set of turquoise earrings and a turquoise, (get this...), transformable necklace to bracelet do-hinky-ma-jigger that would scream to any man, BUY THIS, with its magnets and transformable functionability.  I laughed out loud as he did his demonstration; but I have to agree, it's pretty neat-O!

Woo Hoo for Air Hockey!

I know Tommy REALLY well since we've been close friends since we were ten years old... and I knew what was next on our agenda before he even said a peep.  Without a doubt, I knew that we were going to be going to the one place that I bug him to go once a week but we never ever go to... THE ARCADE!  So for my birthday, that's where he took me.  As I walk through the doors it's always like I'm warped back to my childhood where every Tuesday night Dad would take my brother and I out to The Golden Corral back when they did "Penny a Pound" buffet nights. After dinner we would go to the arcade in the little strip mall directly behind it and split $5 to play whatever games we wanted.  It was the day in the week that I cherished with my Dad and brother, Chris, and all of us, (including Dad), would race on the Daytona cars.  

Stoked on my random goodies! I told
you I'm closer to 12... Maybe
someone accidentally doubled my age? ;)

So as I walk into the buzzing arcade; lights blinking, sounds blaring, I almost find myself sprinting to the coin machine.  $5 each and we were off; taking turns on whatever games we each wanted to play.  So now I know why Tommy doesn't want to go to the arcade... I destroyed him at basketball (twice), air hockey, and even the "honey basket game" designed for tots... Buy hey, I've had more practice over the years!  Granted, I've never beat him at the hunting game, EVER.  And then comes the TICKETS!  We got so much useless cool stuff... A plastic safe, erasers, WWII foam airplanes, (that we played monkey-n-the- middle with Lono when we got home), a parachuter that I dropped down to him from the 2nd story of the mall, (he caught it!), watercolors, etc., etc.  Such a blast! 

So our night concluded with beers and cake and the "Happy Birthday" song with our roomie Kyle at our cottage on the side of the hill.  I didn't get to do my usual solo hiking trip this year for my birthday, (see last years here...), but I DID feel the love.  Thank you to the near 200 friends and family who wished me a happy birthday on Facebook... and for the voicemails and texts and emails, (Dad, H.S., Billy, Ariel, Kristina, Nikki, etc.)... You made me smile the whole day through... and even the next day!  Everyone in my life is so outrageously special... Thank you thank you thank you for being a part of my world and allowing me to be a part of yours!!!  XOXOXO

Cheers!

Got his butt whooped! ;-)

Have an amazing day!

Love,

Q.B.