Friday, May 31, 2013

Friday Mishmash - On Turning Fifty

If you're reading this via a reader, click through to see my new header and layout!  I had to make a change since, in two days, I will be 50 and my tagline of "A Forty-Something's Weight-Loss Journey" will no longer apply.  I went bright, as you can tell...what can I say, I love color!  The new header reflects my current interests, as well as keeping my pink bike in the picture as an homage to where I started back in 2008.  I also changed the layout and streamlined some of the stuff on the sidebars...it was time for a little house-cleaning, so to speak.

So speaking of my birthday, yes, it's finally here!  I'm (almost) 50!  Woohoo!  I feel like Sally O'Malley!  Click here to see her exuberance about being 50 - I get it, I really do!  I'm very glad to have spent the last half of my forties living a fit and healthier lifestyle, and I'm excited for the future.  I wonder how I'd be feeling about hitting this milestone had I not made such a big change - luckily, I'll never know.  Because I'M 50!

Even my dad's early present didn't take away from my 50 glee:
Yeah, can you see me flashing my AARP card for a discount?  Sighhh...so funny, Dad!

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We started celebrating early.  Since my parents were going to be in town for Max's graduation, I decided to have my party the week afterward, so they could attend.  I figured since they were there 50 years ago, they should be present now.  This is also why Barbara and Theresa flew in - to celebrate with me!  The theme of the party was "Hawaii 5-0" - it seemed like a no-brainer since I was born in Hawaii, was turning 50, and hello - I love Hawaii!  Here's some pictures of the festivities:
The food!  We kept it pretty simple, with pork sliders (on King's Hawaiian rolls, yum), Asian chicken salad, teriyaki chicken on skewers (still on the grill when this pic was taken), mango salsa and chips, and a fruit platter.  Plus cupcakes with hula girls and ukulele boys as toppers - Theresa helped me decorate them; I think they turned out so cute.  And the napkins were from Barbara - too funny!
The drinks!  Hawaiian water (OK, bottled water that I covered the label area with printed duct tape) and piña coladas were the stars of the party.  My dad was the bartender and boy did those piña coladas taste good!
The decorations!  Barbara sent me the vintage ALOHA hanging; the tiki statues are from our trip to Maui in 2010.  A couple of old pictures and some leis completed the mantle.  The blue ukulele on the dining table belongs to my mom - she paired it with a pareo that I bought in Maui, some vintage post cards, and a kukui nut lei.

People:
Barbara and I - so glad she flew in for the party!  I think the last time we spent my birthday together was when I turned 18.  I still feel 18 now...
Clockwise from top left:  Amy, Julia and Pam; Virginia (former co-worker) and I; Amy and I; Barbara and Theresa (who fashioned a hair bow out of duct tape!)
Julia sipping on a piña colada with her husband, Scott; Jeff and I; Captain Jack Sparrow, aka Coach Will, and I - I'd asked him to wear his costume for the party and he didn't disappoint!

Running club people - look, a rare non-sweaty picture:
Will, Cary, me, Julia, Andi, Wendy, Pam and Jeff

And here's more runners:
Standing:  Mike (running store owner), Will, me, Julia, Andi, Wendy, Pam, Jeff; kneeling:  Cary, Jenny and Erica.  Funny story - Jenny (my Tuesday running buddy) and Erica (my Thursday running buddy) connected at the party and discovered that they grew up in the same part of south Texas, are just two months apart in age (young whippersnappers!), and know many of the same people...what a small world!

It wouldn't be a party without the Happy Birthday song being sung, but this party came with a couple of ukulele players who played the song as everyone sang along!
My mom and dad - the complete party package, from chef to bartender to musical entertainment!

Needless to say, it was a fun party and exactly what I wanted to usher in my new age...woo hoo, bring on the FIFTY fun!

35 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Shelley! Your party looks just fabulous. Aloha....

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  2. Happy bday. Love the new header. 50 is not so bad.... Just stay healthy and you will rock all your races!

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  3. FUN FUN FUN! This is how a 50th birthday should be celebrated. I do miss your boys and Paco in the photos.

    Dear friend, happy 50th birthday next Sunday. You look fantastic and I wish you have so many healthy happy years ahead of you. I haven't been around for more than 4 years of the first 50 of your life but I the plan is to be around for a lot of the next years to come.

    And I love the new lay-out, it's so you and fresh. Love it!

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  4. Happy Birthday! Fabulous Fifty - looks great on you!!

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  5. I LOVE your new header and layout. How did you do that?

    And love seeing the party. Especially the eats LOL. MMMMM. Pork sliders on King's hawaiian rolls? Most worthy!

    What a nice birthday--surrounded by friends old and new!

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    1. Emily White did the redesign - if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog, her link is there. She's wonderful!

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  6. Oh my gawwwwwd!!! I LOVE THE REDESIGN!!!
    I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it --- And I like to KICK! :-D

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  7. I love your new layout and banner! PACO!!!

    Happy, Happy Birthday!!! Sounds like you've already been celebrating! That party looks like so much fun! :)

    And I love your attitude going into a new decade, I hope I'll be as healthy and happy as you are when I hit 50!

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  8. Shelley,
    You really went all out! I wish I had done the same last year for my 50. Maybe for 51:). Congrats on tackling your health and fitness in your 40s. Doesn't it amaze you sometimes that you feel so much younger now that you're fit? And way to go on getting your husband to be so into to it too. I'm still working on that. Any pointers on motivating them without making them feel pushed? Thanks for being such a positive inspiration. I look forward to reading your adventures every day.

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  9. I absolutely love the new design of the site. And.....


    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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  10. So much to love about this post!!

    I love the new layout - very spunky!!

    Will you please come and be in charge of my 50th birthday party? That looks like such a fun time! And your parents are Cooool - I want to hang out with them!

    Happy Happy Birthday!!

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    1. Ooh, my next career move - a traveling party planner? That could be FUN!

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  11. Happy Birthday! Lead the way, show me how it's done. Your fifties are going to be fabulous (and I love the new blog look, you are very talented!)

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  12. I love the new look Shelley! It totally fits your personality and interests. So glad your parents were there to help you celebrate - cheers to turning 50!!

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  13. This is awesome on so many levels--the new header is so cute, the party sounds like a tremendous start to a new decade, and love all the great pictures!!

    And, a couple days early but HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY!!!!

    You're gonna rock this, I have no doubt...

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  14. Happy, happy birthday, Shelley. Here's to 50 more healthy years!

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  15. Happy Birthday Shelley! Welcome to the five-o club. The new look of your blog is fabulous. Ah, the ukulele. I had to learn how to play one in grade 7. The only song I know is the oldie "five foot two, eyes of blue"

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  16. Happy Birthday, and welcome to my decade! It's not so bad here!

    Love the new blog look!

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  17. Happy Birthday! I love your Hawaii theme. Also, LOVE the new look of the blog.

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  18. Love the new blog header/look, maybe Paco
    most of all! ("I wat dis blog realy all about".)

    Happy Birthday to you! Your party looks like
    it was a blast! Love it. Your parents being the
    total party package makes me smile.

    I loved "Hawaii 5-0"! Ya'll are might creative.


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    1. Haha, you hit the nail on the head with Paco's thoughts! Love it. :)

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  19. Happy Birthday!! And thanks for reading my blog :)

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  20. Happy, HAPPY birthday!! You are one classy and FUN (almost) 50-year-old!!!

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  21. I love the new header and layout! It looks like you: fun, colorful, and bubbly! Happy Birthday, and I bet you rock your 50's just like you rocked your 40's!

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  22. I love how Paco is first in the header pictures LOL! Very snazzy - did you do it all yourself?

    That blue dress is uber cute on you. I love celebrating birthdays over a long period of time. Who says it has to be one day?

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    1. The header/blog redesign was done by Emily White - she's wonderful!

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  23. Your new look is fantastic!! Love the header with all the special Shelley stuff! Welcome to 50 - I'll be leaving this delightful decade in 6 weeks...YIKES! But once I turned 50, I was infused with the knowledge that I really didn't have to take crap from anyone anymore! It's a great age, and AARP magazine is the best! (I sound totally old, but I sure don't feel it!) Anyway - thanks for the bright spot your blog is on the virtual highway - I hope to be still be reading you when you're celebrating 60!!

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  24. What a great birthday!! Here's to the fabulous 50's!! I'm there tomorrow. I love birthdays! People think I'm crazy but really, you only get one day a year that's yours and yours alone. Why not celebrate, am I right? I will go for a nice run tomorrow and I've booked a pedicure at a nice salon (instead of the cheapie place I have been going to) and I think we are going out for supper. It will be a good day indeed. I was going through some old emails recently and found the one I sent to you years ago. You were instrumental in my journy, and I thank you for that. I will forward it to you if you want, it's kind of cool :-) Cheers to you Shelley! Let's make our 50's our best decade yet!!

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  25. Oh yes, and I LOVE the new look on your blog! So cool! I keep saying I have to get back to blogging but I still haven't. Maybe soon.

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  26. So late to the party! Literally!!!! Glad turning 50 was fun. LOVE the new look of the blog Shelley. Perfect timing for the fresh new decade. Giant belated birthday hugs.

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  27. I'm glad you are hitting 50 in full stride, welcome to the club!

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  28. Happy Happy Birthday Shelley! I knew you would celebrate in style and in fun!!

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