Hawaii Three-O

Being my "magic" or "lucky" birthday being that I turned 30 on the 30th and being in Hawaii for it I have planned on having a birthday bash this year since the day I turned 29. Because of this no one else in the family gets a party this year.

It didn't matter that I was moving somewhere new and there was a possibility that I would have no friends to come to the party but luckily it wasn't so. Not only was I able to invite some super friends that I have just met in the last year but some "old" friends were here as well. One such friend being Jennie (from back in Maryland) who also turned 30 (on the 3rd) so we had a co-birthday party, although she was gracious enough to let me continue with the dream of having it on my birthday (plus being her 30th, it was as good a date as any right?). And when Dave B. called to see if he could surprise Chelsey with a trip here her available dates to come were right around this time so it didn't take much coercing to make sure that she, Jen and Sara would all come at the same time. And it is by no accident that I suddenly had a hairstylist, master chef and photographer flying in for the event. Preparation and opportunity converged, if I do say so myself. Had I been slightly more persuasive I might have landed myself a DJ as well....and if only someone in the family knew balloon artistry...

The girls obliged my demands requests to bake a variety of desserts but we locked horns on whether or not a cake from a box would be served at MY party. Okay, I was the only one with horns and I did compromise to let the cakes be made from a mix with homemade frosting. And it was perfect. Chelsey made one white cake and one chocolate and layered and frosted both with coconut cream cheese frosting. (It is still moist and delicious a week later - right Jennie?) Jen dazzled with grasshopper brownies, a favorite of mine in college (a love affair that landed me 10 pounds heavier within months of matriculating) and brought back memories of celebrating with roommates, a birthday, at least 10 years ago. As you can see from the pictures Sara whipped up a tablescape that would make Sandra Lee proud and without her there would have been no decor to speak of, nor photographs to document the soirée. And a word on the pictures - I promise that I have friends that are over age eight, unlike what it looks like in the pics. The parents were having a grand time doing nothing while Chris the balloon boy twisted his little heart out for an hour. Thanks girls (and Chris) for everything!

Just what I always wanted.

I got a lot of cute things for my b-day from various friends and family members. I didn't get anything I didn't like but Ben gets the award for...well...i'm not sure what for but he deserves something. I told him a few weeks ago not to get me anything as I counted our trip to Kaua'i as gift enough, but I guess 30 was a big enough deal (not to mention he was going to have an audience when I opened his presents) for him to "go all out". I got a very nice flower arrangement which included stargazer lilies which made up my wedding bouquet. 2 points for attention to detail. I think the last time I got flowers from him was when he was on his mission and sent money to his mom to have some sent to me...I'm not sure this behavior is allowed or encouraged on your mission but it was sweet.


Attached to the flowers were a couple of gift cards. One was from Ann Taylor and one for Nordstrom and if I was to believe the card accompanying it,they carried a balance of $1,000,000.00. Wow! I'm not sure that's exactly where I would spend one million if I had it but thank you. Since he knows I like to read he took some time to find me a special book by Dr. Laura - The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. Thank you again. The last thing I got to unwrap from him (or as the card said, from Miles) was a package of Spanx (one size too large - despite the height/weight chart on the back- which makes the error that much worse). He's lucky that I find him irresistibly funny and have a remarkable sense of humor. And that he kept the receipt. So make that $1,000,030.00 I have to spend.

The recipes

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted* (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add additional confectioners' sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. Stir in the coconut. If desired, spoon toasted coconut evenly over frosted cake.

*Chelsey's version did not have coconut extract or toasted coconut and it didn't need it.

Grasshopper (Mint) Brownies

From the book 'Rosie's Bakery All-Butter Fresh Cream Sugar-Packed No Holds Barred Baking Book'.

Ingredients
3 1/2 ounces Unsweetened chocolate

12 tablespoon Unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temp

1 1/2 cups Sugar 3/4 teaspoon Vanilla

3 large Eggs at room temp.*

14 tablespoon All purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 TBS)*

-- MINT BUTTERCREAM -- 1 cup Confectioners Sugar 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter (1/2 stick) at room temp2 teaspoon Peppermint extract

-- GLAZE TO TOP MINT BUTTERCREAM -- 4 ounce Bittersweet chocolate 2 teaspoon Light corn syrup

*This doesn't make a very large pan so Jen doubled the recipe then used one less egg and 1/4 cup less flour for a less cakey brownie. Good call. It was baked on a jelly roll pan - or what I know to be a cookie sheet.

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water. Cool the mixture for 5 minutes.

2. Place the sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl and pour in chocolate mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix until blended - about 25 seconds. Scrape the bowl.

3. Add the vanilla. With mixer on med-low speed, add the eggs one at a time, blending after each one until yolk is broken and dispersed - about 10 seconds. Scrape the bowl after the last egg and blend until velvety -- about 15 more seconds

4. Add the flour on low speed and mix for 20 seconds; finish the mixing by hand, being certain to mix in any flour at the bottom of the bowl. Stir in ½ cup of the nuts.

5. Spread the batter evenly in an 8-inch square pan (greased) and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of nuts over the top.

6. Bake the brownies at 350°F on the center oven rack until a thin crust forms on top and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a moist crumb -- 25 to 30 minutes.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack to cool for 1 hour before cutting the brownies.

8. Cream sugar, butter, and extract using electric mixer at high speed until white and fluffy - 2 to 2½ min. Spread buttercream over cooled brownies and freeze for 1 hour. Melt chocolate for glaze in double broiler, remove pan from water and stir in corn syrup. Allow glaze to cool to point where it is no longer hot but is still loose and spreadable. Spread glaze over top of mint buttercream. Refrigerate brownies for 30 minutes. Cut with thin, sharp knife dipped in hot water and dried before each cut.

One Day Older...and Tastier too!

I love Ben & Jerry's (although I've never met a full-fat ice cream that I didn't like) I love their flavors, their packaging etc. etc. We've even made the trek to their factory in Vermont* where they have real live black and white cows (I don't know what kind they are, I'm not a cow expert) like the ones in their marketing and they have a flavor graveyard where all their discontinued flavors rest-in-peace. So sad. Anyhow, the big news is that B&J's is exactly ONE DAY older than me! I've managed to catch a few free-cone days in the past but didn't know that we've been trucking along, celebrating the same milestones merely 24 hours apart all these years. Who knew! Now that I do it will be easier to remember when free-cone day is so next year I'll be sure to remind everyone in advance so we can all get our free cones.


P.S. - My very favorite B&J's flavor (although I like them all) is probably Marsha Marsha Marshmallow (I would have never in a million years tried it based on the name had my mom not discovered it's deliciousness first, it doesn't even taste like marshmallow). What's your favorite?

























(yes my eyes are closed and yes i'm wearing stretch pants. whatever.)



*A highly recommended vacation by the way. We took a 10 day road trip and did NYC-Rhode Island (Newport, possibly the most fabulous town on the East Coast)-Boston-New Hampshire-Vermont (including Joseph Smith birthplace)-Lake Placid (awesome) on one of Ben's summer vacations...I miss having the schedule of students!

It's comin'...

Song for Sunday

Save the Bees

With so many worthy environmental causes and efforts out there - phasing out plastic bags, hybrid cars (or in my case, walking where we can), solar panels, reducing indoor air pollution, recycling etc. it takes time and practice to become more "green" but I think it's fun to contribute to the effort w/out having to get all freaked out about global warming. So here are my top three things I am going to focus my efforts on:

1. Creating less trash. One way, besides buying less to begin with is to get rid of junk mail and catalogs. http://www.catalogchoice.org/ is a good site that will contact publishers on your behalf. http://www.greendimes.com/ and http://www.govspot.com/ask/nameofflist.htm can also reduce your junk mailings.

2. Going Loco. Being a locovore as much as possible, meaning buying locally grown foods to support farmers in your own area and eliminating the shipping waste. Plus, food just tastes better and stays fresher longer when it hasn't had to do a lot of traveling (especially over an ocean).

3. Saving the Honeybees. Maybe it's because we go through so much honey at our house but I have a soft spot for bees right now. Even the one that stung me on the foot at the beach last week...or maybe I stepped on it...anyhow, Colony Collapse Disorder is threatening our food supply and we need their pollination skills! At this point I'm not sure how I can help, except to plant flowers and buy more (local) honey but here is an even tastier option - buying certain flavors of Haagen-Dazs (http://helpthehoneybees.com/) goes toward the cause. Now that's something I can help out with.

Maybe next year I'll get crazy and start a compost pile but for now I'll stick with these three. What environmental cause do you care most about?

Kaua'i Days Three-Four

Having felt like we had seen all that we needed to see by car we headed out to find some snorkeling. The beaches there are nice but not spectacular, they look kinda like Southern California beaches except with no one on them. I felt like I was on a deserted isle. More on that feeling later.

Unfortunately being the tail end of winter, the best snorkeling spots were currently being used as the best surfing spots but we attempted anyhow. We ended up at a place called Tunnels. Which later we found out that this was the spot where surfer Bethany Hamilton got her arm chomped by a shark. This reminds me of when we were on Maui (I guess I do recall a few things) and we found a great place to snorkel off the side of the road and the kids were asleep so we stashed them in a tent on the beach and did a little underwater exploring. I started to get a little creeped out and was anxious about the little ones, because even though we weren't very far out and they were very safe, I thought that it was too good of a news story if we were eaten by sharks and the kids were found on the shore. Little did we know that we were closer to that happening than we thought. The reason it was a secluded spot with nice reef, turtles and no snorkelers was because this sign was posted just a few more yards down from where we had parked.

We had, at one time, a picture of us standing in front of this sign with or snorkel gear but like I said, don't ask.

So back to Kaua'i. On the other islands we have always wished we could spend more time but on this one, we wished we could spend more money. To see the island by air, by sea etc. I think that is where the real beauty lies. But on the bright side, the last day we got to just enjoy our hotel, which we don't usually get to do. Ben got up at 6am on Sat to watch playoff games and I explored the area, including ancient petroglyphs and sacred sites that were right outside of our room on the Wailua river. We were situated where the first Polynesians were thought to have arrived in Hawai'i.

Like having extremely high expectations for a movie that is good but fails to satisfy, I'm afraid Kaua'i didn't deliver like I hoped it would. I hate to even say that, because it is a beautiful destination and many a peoples favorite of the islands I'm sure but it doesn't earn my highest recommendation. Maybe it's because I wasn't really needing a tropical vacation or because the most beautiful beach I've ever seen is five miles away from where I live. I don't know. But landing back on Oahu felt like coming back to the future or like to the mainland.

Final analysis - If you want to get away from it all, you have a soft spot in your heart for hippies (or are one) and if you can afford to take a helicopter ride (doors off please) then it is the place for you. And while you're there you can enjoy some awesome ice cream. But you'll probably find us on the Big Island (top pick), Maui or right here at home.

Kaua'i Days One & Two

Our upcoming departure from the middle of the Pacific has prompted us to pack in a visit to each of the major islands in the Hawaiian chain more quickly than we would have liked to take it (three vacations during a surgery internship year - shocking) with Kaua'i rounding out excursions to the major four. Yes, we went to Maui. No we have no pictures, and therefore no memories. Don't ask.

Because we have to maximize our days, thus requiring the least amount of leave time taken, we always get one of the earliest flight out and the latest back. This got us in Kaua'i and hiking the Na Pali coast by 9 am. Abes refused to wear closed toe shoes and proved to us that she can indeed hike (an advanced trail) in slippahs. And do it well. She did three miles then returned to the car with the McM to finish their interrupted nights sleep while the rest of us continued on. Tired and dirty we spent the remainder of the day sightseeing by car until we could check into our hotel.

Day two we headed west to Waimea Canyon which was described by Mark Twain as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" and that's what it looks like. We found out as we drove down from the canyon that Miles gets car sick and he threw up as his dad said, despite a mothers pleas to pull over, "we're almost to the bottom" and went faster. Anyhow, he was fine and we all got some ice cream in Kauai's "biggest little town". It may have been the best I have ever had.

We finished off the evening in Poipu for a bit o sunset and then felt like we had seen the entire island (as navigable by car).

Meet the Manny

Meet McKay. Our manny. Or McManny. A Spanish-speaking, Eagle Scout (I want my kids fluent and well on their way to earning badges by the end of our trip) and one of the nicest teenagers you will ever meet, I would have "hired" him even if he weren't Ben's brother. He's coming with us to Kaua'i for a few days.

Craft Services

The kids got booked for a photo shoot last week for a Japanese company that sells Hawaiian style jewelry. For some reason the Japanese (and not just their aunt Nancy) really seem to like my kids and we are often stopped by tourists in Waikiki to take their picture. I don't know if it is the double stroller that intrigues them or what. Sometimes they want to be in the picture with them, sometimes they just want the kids. I have found out that they do not want a picture of their momma, as I am usually shooed to the side and out of the sight of the viewfinder.*

Also, for some reason, A.'s ethnicity is listed as Eurasian on the agency's site and they have her listed as having television experience. Unless you mean she watches her fair share, that is incorrect. But I digress...

So the other two jobs they have done have been for swimming pools and accessories so this was to be a different experience. They had a hair and makeup person, they gave them a wardrobe (A. scored a very cute Ralph Lauren dress**) and they had craft services - you know - food. Unfortunately that is where our inexperience and unprofessionalism came into play. They had a wonderful spread of sandwiches and fruit and cake and cheese, beautifully displayed might I add. I saw the other models walking around and snacking on morsels of this and that, so blinded by the freshness of the berries (something we don't find w/in our budget very often when on an island) I starting plucking grapes and fruit and feeding them to M., after a few minutes of doing so, I am very nicely told that we are eating the props. Very cool. I thought it was a little strange to be serving champagne at 8 in the morning. Mortified, I am directed to the counter around the corner where the food we are allowed to eat is, and we continue to munch away.

The kids endured three hours of taking pictures with their new, taller, better-looking family (hot mom, dad, grandma and grandpa) and I took the opportunity to sneak around and take a few photos of the gorgeous house they had rented (owned by the family that runs Wahoo's over here). What A. called an "outside" house, the front and back walls (which are windows) all completely retract so you can walk from the front of the house to the back without opening a door. I also tried to sneak a few pics of the photo shoot itself, which I am sure would be frowned upon and I'm so sad I didn't get a picture of an indoor "family portrait" that they took because I would have had Sara photoshop mine and Ben's faces (yes just faces, I'm keeping that rockin body are you kidding me) onto the models. And we would also be getting the dog the kids always wanted.

I asked the director where we could possibly see the final product and she said, "in our stores in Japan", so if anyone is going that way, I might have you look them up. But now that my kids are going to be famous in Japan, I will be charging for tourists to take pictures with them, you can be sure of that.

*Little do they know that there was a time in my life that many an Asian wanted to take my picture as I was often mistaken as Britney Spears or one of the Spice Girls while working and cavorting around China. Maybe it's just the Chinese that like me.

**A. also got to wear "old faithful", the ubiquitous brown dress, the plaid one in the cream puff shot is the new one. Of course she immediately (of her own volition) put a sweater over her bare shoulders when we left the shoot, then it got hot.

Old Before her Time.

A. heard me tell someone that "we would be home all day" while leaving a message and when I was off she asked, "What do you mean we will be home all day?" I told her I didn't have any plans for us and asked if there was something that she had been hoping to do. "Well, I could get a job", she said. Did she have a workplace in mind I asked? "Oh I don't know, maybe the place where we got Miles' potty (Walmart) or maybe another store". *

Although I'd like to think she got her sense of industry from her mother, her dad's social security record which we just got in the mail proves otherwise. The guy has had jobs that contribute to/take out for SS since he was eleven, not to mention certain side jobs/ventures that he had going on even before that. I always thought that the purple pager he had was suspicious.



*I guess she doesn't realize how much people are willing to pay her per hour to smile and look pretty. More than enough for her to earn her keep.

Thank you Kansas.

Thank you for marching through the madness to secure me a victory in this years bracket. No longer a shadowy figure helping to propel my husband to numerous wins in fantasy sports. I am proud to now have my own silly moniker and rights to the equally silly message board. For some reason I suddenly feel like I should crack open a cold one and start laughing at Old Spice commercials.

So thank you Kansas. And thank you Ben, Dave, Mart, Mark, Kit, McKay, Ryan and Nate. It was a pleasure.

Sand is not the enemy.

Cockroaches are.

Last week some girls, one whose husband owns a pest control company here (I wonder if they exterminate ants from printers...) were talking about getting roach infestation in their car! So bad that they eventually had to tear out the insulation and redo the upholstery. I have to vacuum and/or sweep every night to make sure we don't get overrun in our house (having none is not an option here) but in the car?! She said that they can live off of one greasy fingerprint for two weeks.

So what do I see crawling on the seat when I'm getting Miles out today. Of course, a tiny german roach. I came home, emptied the entire car and stripped the carseats - cause if they can live off a fingerprint for two weeks then they can live off carseat crud for decades. Especially if they like Cheerios (or M&Ms) - and detailed the car as best I could. Luckily I didn't see any more bugs, just the usual offender - sand. But I'll be watching for them.

Attention: Boys

It's not a good idea to squish your male parts into an empty film canister. Just ask Miles.

Jilted.

I've spent the last five days, going to the website of the race I wanted to do. I must have asked Ben 20 times, should I do the race? (the answer varied from "nah, it's too expensive" to an apathetic "yeah sure, do it"). Well, it doesn't matter now cause this morning I started my registration and when I went to finish it this evening - Full. After being open since DECEMBER, It fills up today. And it's no April Fools joke. I emailed them to find out.

When I first found out about it I was actually hoping that it was full so I wouldn't be tempted to enter. Today, I was 90% sure I wanted to participate and when I got the message that said the race was full, I was 110% sure I had wanted to do it. It's a sad night in the Westbrook household. Okay, I'm sad, everyone else is asleep.

There's more to my sob story. I took my bike to the shop twice. Once to get the tube and rim strip replaced and today to fix my gears that were ghost shifting. I went swimming today just to do a quick 750 to make sure I could. The Lycra in my suit has seen better days and the rubber strap on my goggles looked like it might not be able to go the distance, but I could. I was so pumped that I came home and ran. I was training. And I was gonna be training for the next two weeks. At first it was a little scary being up (what felt like) so high on the bike again but I worked up the confidence to settle into the aero bars, it was exhilarating and brought back great memories of triathlons past, even ones where I have crashed and burned on the bike or had to exit the course for a potty break or two. I think my old young body and competitive spirit may still be in there underneath all that mommy.

So I can volunteer for the race. Blah. Then all I get is up early and a free t-shirt I didn't really want. Or do I? I can also sign up for one of three other races in the next few months. But none are as close as this was. One is on the day I already signed up to do a 5K on. That one is only $35 too, so even losing the $25 I spent on the 5K, it's still cheaper than the one I'm missing. But I want to do the 5K - you get to chase lifesize bananas and get a free Jamba Juice. The other two are longer than I wanted to swim, bike or run. Or mostly bike or run.

On the up side, my bike works but I have nowhere to ride, unless Doug and Merrill you want to go out. Unfortunately, I only ride on streets that are blocked off for me and where people are waiting with cups of water.