Good morning everyone,
First, I wanted to wish Lissa a Happy 40th Birthday. She asked us to chat a little about our birthday memories, so here goes. I’ve actually been fortunate enough to spend a decade of birthdays in other countries. For instance, I’ve spent my a birthday in China climbing the Great Wall. It was as cold as all get out because their seasons are different from ours and while I’m not a coffee drinker, I would have taken anything that day to warm up. I’ve spent a birthday in Italy, specifically, Venice, Florence, and Rome just enjoying the scenery, taking in Carnival – our version of Mardi Gras – and once again freezing my butt off. I know, it seems as though I have a pattern going on here, which is crazy because I love the heat. That’s why I live in Texas, but right now, I’m freezing my butt off. LOL!
I’ve also spent a birthday in Thailand riding elephants and that was really cool, especially considering that we partied the night before. I even had fun racing a couple of my friends in a Took-Took, which is a death contraption if I’ve ever seen one, but it rocks. Here’s a miniature picture of the one I keep in my office to remind me of good times. My favorite Thai meal is Pad Kana. Not sure if I spelled that right, but it’s a wonderful mixture of broccoli and chicken seasoned perfectly over a bread of rice. The season includes ginger and some other wonderful spices. Add some spring rolls to that and it’s all good.
Now, I bet you’re wondering what I did on my 40th birthday. Yes, I’m older than Lissa, but not by much. Well, I’m a Ricky Martin fan and being a Pisces, I enjoy water and warm weather. So, I decided to take a trip to Puerto Rico to celebrate the big 40. It totally ROCKED and we had an awesome time. The islands were beautiful and I must at admit that I embraced Living La Vida Loca. Hey, who could resist. It was also nice to be in a warm climate for once because when we left Texas, guess what….it was freezing. LOL! The only time that was better involved climbing the Harbour Bridge in Australia or maybe it was climbing the steps up to Cristo in Brazil. Either way, I enjoyed myself and had a GREAT Time.
So Lissa, whatever you decide to do on your birthday, ENJOY IT TO THE FULLEST!
CONTEST
Now that you’ve let me ramble on for what seems like forever, how about a goodie. Just leave a comment telling me one of your favorite birthday memories and you’ll be entered to win a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card.
Of course, this is an overnight contest; therefore, you have until 6:00 PM (CST) on Friday evening to leave a response. The lucky winner will be selected using the True Random Number Generator from RANDOM.ORG.
As for the rules, they’re simple…
1. Must be or become a follower of Lissa’s blog
2. Must answer the question
3. Must leave us your name and email address in case you win
4. Must have a good time
hmmm a good birthday memory, nothing exciting, no wonderful trips, or great presents, just good food, family and friends and lots of laughter, and of course at least one book store gift certificate, a few years ago on my 35th. It was my kind of laid back fun. Thanks for the contest, and I too hope Lissa is having the birthday month she deserves. lisagk@yahooDotcom
I actually have to say that my birthday this year was one of the best. I had to go “home” to Greensboro for a family emergency & got to spend my birthday w/ almost my ENTIRE family. The REALLY cool part is that for the 1st time EVER I got to spend it w/ my aunt who’s bday is the same day!
aunt_cori@yahoo(dot)com
I do follow the blog.
Oh, how I wish I could see all the fabulous sites that you’ve seen! And, the knowledge and experiences you have are priceless!
I guess my favorite Birthday would have been this year. My fiance and I had to move to New Jersey due to a job transfer on the previous Christmas Eve, so we didn’t have a chance to go home to Michigan to see our families for the holiday. So, when July rolled around, the day before my Birthday, I was surprised to get a phone call from the Turnpike saying they were almost to my place!! I don’t normally like surprises, but that one was well worth it!!
Wishin’ you a Happy Birthday, Lissa!!
~blog follower
~amongthemuses@gmail.com
I’d have to say my 22nd birthday. My neighbor and I went to Vegas for a week and it was amazing. That was a long time ago of course but it still stands out. 🙂 Happy, Happy Birthday Lissa. And remember, you can make every birthday special. 🙂 GFC follower under Lucky47.
Carol, L
Lucky4750@aol.com
OH My, I could live vicariously from just reading all the wonderful WARM places you have been..lol
I can’t pin down one Birthday Memory that means more than any of the others. Each and every Birthday was a time of adventure going-getting to a new area. I know I enjoyed piling in the family wagon and just setting off to anywhere.
My Dad loved fishing, camping, hunting so it was always a secluded area with amenities..lol Mom was a whiz at filleting Bass and frying them..YUM!! I can still taste them..
By the way 40 is just starting to ROCK your world into bliss!!
nblack@twcny.rr.com
follower
My most remembered birthdays are the ones spent with my boys. They always surprise me with the greatest gifts and somehow manage to keep it a secret.
cbandy10(at)hotmail(dot)com
I just became a follower of your site today!
Happy 40th Birthday!
My favorite memory on MY 40th birthday was spending time with my sisters in Dallas. We all got our ears pieced an extra time (while intoxicated :). We had so much fun flirting with the “counter” boy.
Fun times!
WOW Raven – you’ve had some great birthdays! None of mine are too memorable. I do rememebr one however – around 25 – that involved a bit of alcohol and doing the chicken dance standing on 4ft high bar stools and hanging onto the ceiling for balance! That was probably my most exciting.
susanmik@gmail.com
follower
Most memorable birthday was my 21st. I had poison oak in a very delicate place and spent the day drunk because that way I didn’t care if it itched.
My last birthday is always my favorite one. I did what I wanted to and indulged in one of my favorite beverages. Talked with friends and family and pretty much just enjoyed the entire day.
Leni
lenikaye@yahoo.com
follower of Lissa’s blog
My favorite birthday took place the year we moved to North Carolina, along the edge of the mountains of Pisgah Forest. My husband let me sleep in and then after coffee and a leisurely shower, he escorted me to his truck. We drove way up into the mountains to a very secluded spot surrounded by the beautiful fall colors and the crispness of autumn. He unpacked and spread a blanket on the ground and helped me get seated on the blanket. Not seeing the picnic basket, I asked about eating. His eyebrows did the quick up and down thing and…I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. It was a wonderful birthday surprise.
donnafisk at bellsouth dot net
wow you had some amazing birthdays.
Since I’m not huge on celebrating my birthday..I guess my favorite one was when i was a teenager.I went out to dinner with friends then we went to a Bon Jovi concert.
I am a follower
Elaine
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
My favorite birthday memory is turning 18. I was an exchange student in Australia and was leaving the country after a year of living and going to school there. So, I got to celebrate my 18th with my host family (we had a big party), then I had to board a plane to go back to the U.S. and my real family. But because of the international date line, I got to celebrate my birthday twice! Not a lot of people can say that!
Lasha
mslasha@gmail.com
followe
Happy Birthday! I’ve found being in my 40s to be liberating, and I hope you find the same to be true. I love your books.
My favorite birthday was a surprise party a good friend threw for my 35th birthday. NO one had ever done that for me before, and I had an absolute blast. But the best part was my friend caring enough about me to to put the whole thing together. It is a memory I treasure and will never forget.
When I turned 21…..was a great big party!
I don’t think I have any really memorable birthdays. I just like being able to spend the day with my friends and family.
My favorite birthday was one where my parents brought a kitty home. I was no more than 10 years old. He was so small that he crawled under and behind the couch and we spent hours trying to lure him out. Fun times!
canadianluck[at]gmail[dot]com
My memorable birthdays were the times my grandmother would fix me a special dinner and my parents and other relatives came, even when my birthday was on a weekday!
Looking back, these folks gave up a relaxing evening at home to celebrate my birthday and then went to work the next day.
I’m a follower.
Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
It’s kind of sad to say, but I haven’t had a birthday party in a long time since my daughter’s birthday is two days before mine. I always try to combine them so that it’s a kid party early on and a more mature party after dark, but either way I try and have fun.
My fondest birthday memory was when my husband took me to a resort in Mexico and then we had a number of friends show up and surprise me, even though it was still a shared weekend with my daughter, it was a blast.
One of my favorite birthday memories was when my friends who were planning to cake my face, got caked instead. I knew they were planning it so I with some quick reflexes and hand work they were the ones to end up with mushed cake faces!
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
One of my favorite birthday memories was when my friends who were planning to cake my face, got caked instead. I knew they were planning it so I with some quick reflexes and hand work they were the ones to end up with mushed cake faces!
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
Wow! Awesome birthdays! I don’t have anything that exciting. Really, my favorite birthday memories are of simple things like my kids making me breakfast in bed. Or getting to go to a favorite restaurant or theme park. I know I’m boring but it’s just the way I like it.
jepeb@verizon.net
Wow, you sound like you’ve had some amazing birthdays, soo jealous 🙂 Don’t think I can compete, but one of my fav. bithdays to look back on is my 22 birhtday. My in-laws took my hubby and I along with his siblings on a cruise to Alaska where my father in-law and myself both shared our birthdays on the cruise. It was a fun way to spend a birthday out on the water in a big ship surrounded by staff who waits on you hand and foot and having an actual 5 course meal. It was amazing, then making our way to the crows nest bar and the bartenders being so good that they know all our names and choice of drinks and have them waiting for us. Did I also mention it was a kids free cruise?? Double plus for having a room with just the hubby and me in quiet while little one was home with my mom. Great birthday
oops forgot e-mail
june111(at)att(dot)net
GFC follower
All of my birthdays have memorable. They are celebrated on Thanksgiving with a family dinner.
kissinoak at frontier dot com
One of my favorite birthday’s was when I turned 40 and we packed up the munchkins and scooted off to Maui for a week. Had a total blast! We went from windy cold weather to glorious sunshine. And the smells in Hawaii are so unique. I still get flashbacks when I smell particular flower and ocean scents.
a follower
cathy m
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
I’ve had 2 birthdays that stand out – my 18th when my soon to be hubby surprised me with a party with our friends and family and then on my 50th when again I was surprised with a cook out planned by my hubby and kids. It was fantastic especially because it was so unexpected.
Happy Birthday Lissa! Hope you enjoy it.
I am a follower.
pnc07 (at) aol (dot) com
My favorite birthday memory was the year that my sister sent me a “cookie” bouquet and my parents sent me a huge flower bouquet and my boss and co-workers took me to lunch….it was nice to be the center of attention for one whole day in both groups:)
junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com
I am a follower of Lisa’s blog
My favorite birthday memory. when we were in the miltary, so far away from family the people on the base threw me a birthday party and it was a surprise too i had no idea, they managed to find all my favorite stuff too!
oh darn that email thing Kalisto@roadrunner.com sorry forgot it in the email above
I don’t recall any of my birthdays being that wonderful. They’ve all been pretty good actually. This years birthday-my 40th-was nice because while I was out to lunch with some friends, two others came back and decorated the outside of my apartment with black balloons and streamers. So all day long my neighbors kept yelling Happy Birthday, Old Lady.
I’ve been a follower for a long time.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
You obviously know how to do birthdays, they all sound so fabulous. Esp the one to Puerto Rico. Warm yummmmm. LOL
Many of my best birthday memories are simple celebrations with my two sons. Nice dinner and a cake with just close family.
Last year was one of my favorite birthdays mainly because my nine year old niece was so excited that she got me and made me the best present ever.
follower
sstrode@scrtc.com
You just made me realize how boring my birthdays have been. The most memorable one was a couple of years ago, when my kids all showed up at my mom’s apartment, and surprised me with a cake and gifts. How they all kept it secret I do not know. Little did I know it would be my last birthday with mom, which just makes it more special.
Follower.
nancyg5997@gmail.com
Growing up I never had a “surprise” birthday since I always had a huge party with my two cousins. AND they are all horrible at keeping secrets. LOL My entire family, friends and the people I worked with at the hospital all kept my SURPRISE 30th birthday party a complete secret. I was invited to a July 4th party on the 5th (I just assumed that it was a day late because my cousin throwing the party had to work). I remember joking to my best friend (driving with her to the party, she’s close to all my family) that I was annoyed that being so busy with school I never made plans for my birthday. and would you believe that the night before she instisted I keep my promise of making the cake I said I would make. LOL it was not the birthday cake but a cake we all liked. My family laughed so hard. I still laugh when I remember that I asked her if she wanted to go late. LOL she later said she almost had a heart attack. LOL! I can not tell you how surprised I was when I walked up to the party and the banner dropped down saying Happy 30th Birthday! LMAO. Two years later we still make fun of my sister in law that she was able to keep the secret. She is the WORST!
forettarose@yahoo.com
Wow your birthday memories sound amazing. I would love to travel to all those places.
My best birthday memory is from two years ago I had just moved away to go to college and didn’t know anyone and all my family and friends were over four hours away so I was pretty depressed about my birthday. Then about half way into bread class ( I went to pastry class so it’s an actual class lol) when a huge vase full of flowers were delivered to me they were from my mom who wrote a beauitful card with it. So by the end of the day I was feeling better but to top it all off I got a huge surprise when I got home and my mom and my two best friends drove up to see me and were waiting for me at my apartment. It was awesome and made my whole week to be able to see them and just talk and text over the phone. I’m a follower of the blog.
bella2965 at hotmail dot com
I forgot to leave my e-mail address (hangs head)
kbranfield@gmail.com
Here’s my original post:
Happy Birthday! I’ve found being in my 40s to be liberating, and I hope you find the same to be true. I love your books.
My favorite birthday was a surprise party a good friend threw for my 35th birthday. NO one had ever done that for me before, and I had an absolute blast. But the best part was my friend caring enough about me to to put the whole thing together. It is a memory I treasure and will never forget.
by Kathy B February 10th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Somebody’s seems to be a world traveler. Ah, wish that was me. The 40th b-day sounded fun.
Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}
borg_66@hotmail.com
I’ll add my wishes for a wonderful birthday Lissa. I’m a follower.
My favorite birthday was when I was a kid and I got a big stuffed multicolored frog to cuddle at night. Yeah it was in the early seventies, what gaveit away the multicolored frog??? I loved frogs as a kid and when I turned 5 I had to have a cake decorated with Charlie Brown catching a big frog in a fishing net. yeah no princess cakes for me give me frogs.
Zina
Let me add my birthday wishes to Lissa. I’m a follower and hello Blackraven.
My favorite gift was a huge stuffed multicolored frog to cuddle, yep it was the early seventies. My favorite cake though was when I was about 5 and I wanted a cake decorated with Charlie Brown catching a big frog in his fishing net. Yep no princess cakes for me give me frogs, loved them.
Zina
seawitch6464@ yahoo.com
Wow you have had some amazing birthdays. I can’t really remember a birthday that stands out for me, sad right I know :(.
BTW I am a Ricky Martin fan (he actually took my brothers spot in Menudo when my bro auditioned because he was too old lol), I am Puerto Rican and I am also a Pisces woohoo!
In my teens I remember my girlfriend getting me out of my house on my birthday. After visiting several places we got into a fight because I wanted to return home at it was not “time”. Turns out my mom and her had arranged a surprise party! I felt bad for getting mad at her, but the party was good.
I follow Lissa’s blog already.
kbassler@stny.rr.com
I always try to have a good time…
You sure are the jet setter! Did you have company on all these international trips?
mdwartistry at yahoo dot com
I think my favorite birthday memory was nor mine…it was my sons first birthday. I wanted a baby for so long and it took us forever to get pregnant. I love spending birthdays together just doing fun stuff. We have a party but on a different day, that day is for us. LOL til he reaches teenage years and rebels. HAHA
donnasing777@yahoo.com
My favorite birthday memory is the year that I went on a road trip with my niece and sister. We had a blast, no real plan just stoped when we seen something we wanted to see and found a hotel when we got tired. We seen a replica of Stone henge. That was really interesting. Thanks for sharing.
evelynmoly@yahoo.com
Sorry, I forgot to put my email address-
iqb99@yahoo.com
blog follower
Sorry, forgot my email address – itmfiddler (at) gmail (dot) com.
without a doubt my fav birthday memory is my 16th. We knew that my aunt had something special planned but what it was I just could not have imagined. My present was long and flat, like a picture. It was just sitting there teasing me. I was not allowed to open til last. She wanted me to open the others and feel the excitement for those thoughtful gifts so that I wouldn’t slight them when I opened hers. LOL! Finally it was time. I opened it and it was a large poster board picture in a frame that she made. I love going back and watching the video and seeing the instant that I realized what I was holding. She put a bunch of pictures of the broadway play Wicked and bubble lettered the words wicked across the top. There was a picture of two FRONT row tickets to see the play next to a picture of the marqee. OMG my aunt took me to see Wicked in the front row in NYC!!!!!! We spent the entire day there. Went shopping and had an amazing dinner. It was an unforgettable night….which was what she wanted. I am soooo blessed to have such a great aunt.
swkimbell@yahoo.com
i’ve had a lot of birthdays but i have to say that my favorite was when my daughter and i went on a road trip to graceland. it took us about 3 days to get there because we just stopped as we seen something we wanted to explore and found a hotel on the fly. it was amazing.
carol.byles@yahoo.com
I would say one of my favorite birthday memories would be my sweet 16 surprise party. Well it was supposed to be a surprise but I found the invitation. I still acted surprise.
beckerjo(at)verizon(dot)net
wow you’ve had some great adventures for your birthday’s. One day I would love to travel more. I would love to see Scotland
terrilee.byles@yahoo.com
hmmmm my favorite birthday memory. I think it was the first one after my husband and I split. He had left right after my birthday so about a year had past. My marriage was no walk in the park (I think I was just looking for love). Well my best friend had baked me a cake (for my kids she got me the best cannoli ever) and helped them to pick me out the nicest dress. They were so excited to see me dress special. My friend planned an awsome night out on the town. It was great.
prettyunicorn78@yahoo.com
Last year my friend set up a small party at work and had cards signed by co-workers, wrapped gifts and cake. Lots of fun.
linze_e at hotmail.com
And again
I am a follower
jepeb@verizon.net
Favorite birthday memories? An excellent dinner out with DH, sans kids 🙂 It’s a treat to be able to enjoy some quiet time! Nothing quite as spectacular as one of your trips, Blackraven–maybe another year!
f dot chen at comcast dot net