I just cut the elsatic in my underpants...at work.

I am sitting at my desk contemplating my predicament. You see, I spontaneously broke the scissors out of my top drawer and in a mad dash, cut the elastic on my underpants. Never mind the fact that a student could have walked in at any minute. Add to the visual the fact that I am wearing a dress.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

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21 more days of school
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The Sweet Tooth Fairy is opening a shop in SGU!!!

All right FINE! I will break down and buy new underwear today after school.
Best to be prepared for all of the cupcakes to come.
Seriously, 25 main is great and everything, but I swear their cupcakes are so not as good as they used to be. Sweet Tooth Fairy is sure to satisfy.
At $3.00 a cupcake, who is ever going to admit that they don't?

30 is here... to be frank.

I don't even have one yet and I already want another. With red hair please.

P.S. Today is my 30th Birthday.

I've been quite looking forward to the 30's since I was 25 but the actual day of saying goodbye to 20-something is daunting. I couldn't sleep a wink last night. Now that I'm officially old, it's time to say good bye to old dreams and hello to some new ones. Today I made a cake for the SCMS faculty (pictured below) and am forcing my students to watch a slide show of my life. It was almost too much when they figured out that they were 3 the year I graduated from high school. They keep telling me I don't look a moment over 22 but I think they're just trying to get extra credit so I can't really trust them.

Also of note:

• I'm pretty sure Q is the hottest thing since jalapenos.

• Yesterday I reapplied for my job next year.

• My mom is finally getting the hang of things because last night she said I'm not fat at all anywhere but my tummy and that when you're looking at me from behind, you can't even tell. I can totally trust her because she is the most frank person I know.
  

• Of course, it was ruined by the fact that my teacher aide, a 50+ year-old close-talking woman, told me that I was probably going to have a HUGE baby and I should prepare myself. She didn't even crack a smidgen of a smile while saying it.
  

Kauai 2010 - PoiPu

PoiPu

When we go to Hawaii, we always stay in Kauai-
and when we go to Kauai, we always stay at Poipu.

(Above) this is on the lawn of the PoiPu Plantation which stretches straight to the beach. It's fabulous. This pic is also about 5 minutes before we had to leave and come home. Oh the agony.

The Marriott Condos are right on PoiPu and this is where we spend most of our time.
It's the best place to watch sunsets, get crazy expensive Pina Coladas, and sit on the beach.

PoiPu is also one of the few places we can get my mom to relax.

(Below) This is our second sunset of the trip. By this time Q had finally made it to Kauai after a nightmare-ish flight cancellation and unplanned layover in LA.

(Below) Earlier that day, Q discovered one of the great joys of his life: The Lave Flow. This has always been our favorite drink but at the Marriott beach bar they actually have a name for it! It's a Pina Colada layered with fresh Strawberry puree. Q surprised our moms with one as they sat on the beach and watched for whales.
He must have spent at least $200 on these drinks he got so many.

Mom is the ever-diligent whale watcher.

(Below) Q met a guy who comes to PoiPu every night at dusk to catch his dinner.
I think Q would consider leaving me for this man if it meant he could tag along everyday.

(Below) Day 1, Sheila's first step onto Hawaiian beach sand.

(Below) Turtles and seals sunbathe every day on PoiPu. It is so funny watching them scoot and roll back into the sea. We set up camp right next to this seal (not to be confused with me).

(Below) Sheila's first snorkel experience. Q was her trusty guide.

(Below) A great day of play
(or in my case, sitting in a lawn chair, a tube, or on a towel for 8 hours).

N + 1

(p.s. THIS is the swimsuit I ran after Q in over the fried chicken fiasco. Oh the devotion)

Kauai 2010 - Fern Grotto

We decided to take the Smith Family tour boat up the Wialua State Park River which is the only navigable river in the entire state of Hawaii. At the end of the trail is the famous Fern Grotto where thousands of couples (including some famous celebs) used to get married. Since some major flooding and erosion about a decade ago, they don't let people into the grotto underneath the overhang any more.

Our boat ride came standard with live hula dancers and ukulele accompaniment.

(Above) I knew you wouldn't believe it so I covertly snapped this picture of Q spontaneously hula dancing on the boat. He turns into "Mr. Polynesian" the minute he sets foot on Hawaiian soil and despite all his trouble getting to Kauai, this time was no different. In fact, it's almost worth it for you to pay the money to come with us just so you can experience the surreal joy that is Quinn Mark Hadley in Hawaii.

Kauai 2010 - ATV

We sent QM and Q on Kauai ATV (do something dirty) during a rainy day.
They started out clean but it didn't last long.

(Above) Driving past the old sugar mill and headed into the island terrain.

(Above) The tunnel is so so long and cuts straight through the mountain so private sugar trucks could get to the other side of the island without having to go all the way around alongside the coast. Since there are no running sugar mills anymore, it's become an exclusive ATV hot spot.

(Below) The Jurassic Park velociraptor field.

(Below) Heading for lunch at the falls.

(Below) Turning back for base camp.

They came home sore, tired, and dirty.
What a fabulous day!