19. Spend at least 24 hours in 10 states (5/10) - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ok so I'm seriously seriously behind with my blogging... thankfully its the holiday season right now... I'm on extended vacation and have just returned from a glorious week in the Colorado Rockies sans hubby (he's diverted to New Orleans on our way back home for a week offshore on the rig) and my first day back in Houston has been one of those Texas Winter days... rain, thunderstorms, icky inside with a book and a cup of day, domestic goddess types of days... in other words perfect for catching up on the MOUNTAIN of blogging I have to do... First stop... i need to head back in time about a month or so and remember the time I spent sitting overlooking the beach with a glass of Sav Blanc and a plate full of 'raw ocean bar' (oysters, king crab, lobster, yellowtail sashimi, ahi sashimi, and tiger prawns) while enjoying the relaxing sounds of the ukulele and the ever present and calming sigh of the tradewinds... Yes, I'm heading back to Hawaii....

The dinner in question - enjoying the 'raw ocean bar' plate at The Beachhouse at the Moana, Honolulu

Months before I was lucky enough to find myself landing on the sandy shores and perfect beaches of Hawaii, I was talking to my dear Aunt Deb in Adelaide... she was desperate for a vacation... I was unsure of how I was going to spend Thanksgiving since the Hubby was scheduled to be offshore on the rig (this was indeed before the whole Moratorium business) and therefore a catchup seemed like a good idea... but where to go??? Well what is halfway between Houston, Texas and Adelaide, South Australia??? Honolulu!!

My first morning on Waikiki Beach at Sunrise

In my normal crazy way, I flew in from Midland, Texas from a pre-spud meeting the Wendesday before Thanksgiving arriving into Houston at 8pm that night only to fly back out to Hawaii (on a 10 hour flight, with a 4 hour time difference) the next morning (Thanksgiving morning) at 8am.. and when I finally made it, I realised I'd landed in, what could only be described as paradise! 

 Aunt Deb's first ever Turkey Day!

The next seven days was absolute bliss... we shopped at the Honolulu Mall, Ala Moana on Black Friday, indulged in a plate of nachos bigger than my head at Jimmy Buffet, toured Pearl Harbour, the MSS Missouri and checked out Punchbowl Cemetery, climbed Diamond Head crater, did a SUPER long day trip to the Big Island, the Island of Hawai'i and walked on dried lava beds, marveled at the black sand beaches and crashing surf, ate our way through Mauna Loa macadamia nut plantation (a nut that is not indigenous to Hawaii but is instead, an Aussie treat), sniffed beautiful orchids and visited Volcanos National Park, viewing the amazing Kilauea - the most active volcano on the planet!! 

The smoking Halema'uma'u crater - In the caldera of Mt Kilauea 

Walking through Thurston Lava Tube, Volcanos National Park

It was an absolutely amazing trip.. I got to catch up with my Aunt Deb in a tropical paradise, got to experience the beauty that was Hawai'i and, as I was of course still in the US, got to eat a delicious amount of food... I'm such a lucky gal!! 

86. Send a birthday card snail mail to every member of my immediate family for a year (8/11)

I kinda thought this card was pretty cool... its my type of off centre humour and I thought my brothers wife (otherwise known as my sister-in-law) Tash would appreciate it as well and so Happy Birthday Natasha! Hope that household of yours full of all your boys celebrates your special day in style and there is at least a couple of beam cans in the fridge with your name all over them!!

86. Send a birthday card snail mail to every member of my immediate family for a year (7/11)

I spied this card a number of months ago at Hallmark and immediately thought of my crazy, wacky and zany sister-in-law Belinda... you see Bel is anything but boring or usual... she's a little loopy (in a good way) and has an awesome sense of humour... oh and she absolutely adores puppies... therefore this seemed like the most perfectly fantastic card for her birthday... did I mention the old duck is also turning 30 this years!!! When oh when did we get so old (thank goodness I have 18 months until the big 3-0 calls my name) ?!?! Happy Birthday Smelly Belly Welly... hope you have a fantastic birthday, a milestone, and your first as a mommy... I hope the hubby spoils you rotten on your big day and ensures you don't have to change a dirty diaper the whole entire day!!! 

86. Send a birthday card snail mail to every member of my immediate family for a year (6/11)

When I first saw this card at the store I fell in love with it... it was witty, it was cute, it was everything a birthday card should be.. and so of course I bought it home with me and have been struggling with who to give it to ever since (I've literally been hoarding the card for around 6-9 months now)... until now! My father in law is a little like this card.. sweet, witty, with a good sense of humour.. the perfect recipient!

Hippo Bir-die two ewe deer Bill - Hopefully this card brings as big a smile to your face as it did to mine... Wish we could be in cold and wintery Melbourne to celebrate with a glass of Paradigm Hill L'ami Sage Pinot Noir and a couple of Patons Macadamia Royals procured from a Qantas business class section or two... mmmmm.. now there is a drool worth birthday feast!! 

86. Send a birthday card to every member of my immediate family for a year (5/11)

My mother-in-law's birthday was coming up and I had a problem.. you see she just doesn't get my sense of humour, and I have a house full of silly, sarcastic, pop culture reference birthday cards SO instead of causing an international incident (teehehe) by sending a card that makes me giggle uncontrollably but creates a response of confusion on the other side of the world, I headed to Hallmark to search out a birthday card that was a little more traditional in nature... Well I managed to find this beautiful card that not only fits the anti-sarcastic bill but is also covered in bees!!

Isn't it super pretty?? And its not overly soppy and lovey dovey which always feels that little bit tongue in cheek to me as I'm really not a gushy type person... It was the perfect balance of traditional and unique

Now hopefully she forgives us for sending it a little late... but its the thought that counts right?!?! I swear we where thinking of you Doris and we meant to send the card WEEKS before we did, but sometimes with our schedules, the hardest thing about birthday cards is actually managing to get to the post office to buy a stamp!! Next time I go, I think I'm going to have to buy a whole roll!!

86. Send a birthday card to every member of my immediate family for a year (4/11)

My baby brother's birthday is next week, thought I don't know if I can really refer to him as a baby since he's about to turn 26 and has two little babies of his own.. but he'll always be younger than me and so he's my baby brother... thought he deff hasn't been 'littler' than me for a very very long time now!! 

My brother back in 1997 - He looks NOTHING like this these days!! 

My brother, Ryan, grew up fast - leaving school at 16 for an apprenticeship with Holden, moving out of home not too long after that, falling in love young, starting a family at the age of 19... in fact both his little boys where born while Ryan himself was still a child (well I thought of him that way) - every choice and decision Ryan has made in his life has made him happy

Anyway its his 26th birthday on the 21st of March and when I saw this card I just KNEW it was the card for him... but maybe thats an in joke :D

Happy birthday baby brother.. I hope your family brings you a bacon and eggs breakfast in bed, maccas for lunch and a beer with a jacks chaser for dinner!! Hope Sunday brings a wonderful start to your 27th year on this planet... wait a minute, holy crap.. that means I'm getting closer to my 29th birthday!?!?!? 

86. Send a birthday card to every member of my immediate family for a year (3/11)

I awoke bright and early on Tuesday morning to the most wonderful announcement, my sister in law, Paul's younger sister Belinda, had given birth to her first little bundle of joy a teeny tiny fellow they named Logan Joseph. Therefore our third perfect little nephew is of course now deserving of a 'birthday' card (and I've had to increase my tally on this task +1) but for the little guy I think I can manage... So off I trudged on a wet and rainy Houston afternoon during my lunch break to seek out a card store in the drab and lifelessness that is downtown... Thankfully I managed to stumble across a little store in the Continental Building that had the most perfect little card!! 

Funnily enough I found out after I'd bought the card that the little guy was named for Wolverine from X-Men... oh and a character from the Bold and the Beautiful... but the second just doesn't have the same ring to it does it :D  

Congratulations Bel and Gav.. may your little one bring you a lifetime of happiness, joy, laughter, fun and of course unidentifiable stinky smells, burps, and spit up... poopy diapers (well hopefully not a lifetimes worth), and sleepless nights... I'm sure you'll love every single minute of being mum and dad!! 

86. Send a birthday card snail mail to every member of my immediate family for a year (2/10)

My two gorgeous little nephews, born 3 days apart are first off the chopping block for this task being January and February babies. Jayden, the eldest, will be 6 in the coming days and his little, somewhat insane and crazy little brother will be turning 4 a couple of days later... wow, when did these little cuties get so old?!?! Is it just me or does time really really fly!!! I guess the saying really is true, you really do notice the passage of time through the old and the young...

Meeting my first  little bubba nephew Jayden Ryan Keneally, 6 years ago.. seems like yesterday!! (2004)

My second little man - who joined us 2 year later... Wade James Keneally (2006) 

My two little rat bags - today! (Looking very impressed.. as usual!) 

So with birthdays in the near future its time to send birthday cards to fufill this part of the challenge... I had to be well prepared as of course the boys aren't quite to the point of understanding that Aunty Bee and Uncle Paul live in America SO I had to have the birthday cash saved and in reserve on the last trip back to Oz (for the wedding)... But at least I got to pick some super cute cards at home in H-Town :D

Jayden and Wade's birthday cards 2010!

I especially love the inside of Jayden's card - I guess as the boys get older they begin to understand more and more it starts to opens an entire new world of opportunity!!

The inside of Jayden's birthday card - Monster Mash!! 

Happy birthday my dear boys - you make your Aunty Bee feel older and older every year that passes.. and they do seem to pass waaaay to quickly!!! xxx