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!