from the west

on the road again, for a quick trip to the east...

birthday cupcakes

for my birthday, i really wanted to try this new cupcake bakery. so i waited patiently and finally went on the day before the big day. i was so excited to try them...

all the cupcakes were so beautiful. i choose one called birthday cake (the sales girl said they were very popular and quite good) and of course jeff got the red velvet. i was sort of wondering if all of this could go wrong, terribly wrong. the first sign was that one cupcake was almost twice as big as the other one... but the little box and bag were so cute. couldn't wait to get home and try them!!!






OMG!!! one bite and this was the worst cupcake i have ever had. seriously it seemed like it was made days ago. the flavor was pretty good but it was not fresh. freshness is the key to a good cupcake. i was so sad and disappointed. i really love cupcakes and know a good one when i take my first bite. this one was bad, very bad...





didn't even finish it but someday i will go back and try it one more time...





so on the weekend, i made my own homemade cupcakes. i really wanted my favorite ones from sprinkles but it was not in the cards for this weekend. i would have to wait again... i made these simple ones for ingredients i had on hand...




i was hoping they would be good but trying a recipe for the first time, you never know.




pretty good so far




yum, kelly brought the cupcake candles. the perfect touch

kai, was ready to blow out the candles. he learned how from watching tv. he's ready for his birthday in october....

kelly brought these from a cupcake bakery. they look wonderful and tasted great too...

thanks kelly!!!

a week later for jeff's birthday i made him red velvet cupcakes.

the batter didn't seem very red but went by the recipe, next

time i will add a little more.

they were brownish red. very good, will make them again soon...
another year older and another year to eat more cupcakes!!!

man vs car

jeff had a little accident this morning at 5:35am. 5 minutes after he left home for work...

he survived

our poor car did not...

so sad....

man vs car

man won!!! (jeff is good)

a person in a black pick up truck ran the red light going 60mph

jeff hit the brakes hard but still smacked the truck good enough to bend the frame on the X3

it was a hit and run

our car will be in the trauma center for at least 4 weeks...

it was still new only 14,ooo miles and just turned 2
hopefully our car will be new again!!!

north shore

Been super busy traveling and eating. Lots of new things to come!!!!

picked up some pineapple on the way to the north shore. it was very yummy...

plate lunch from ted's bakery, in sunset beach. that place is awsome with so many choices. this a typical plate lunch with rice, fried chicken, fried mahi mahi, teri beef and spam. a very good.



we took our lunch to the beach...

we usually stop at matsumoto's shave ice on the way back to the hotel but on this day the line was super long. we have never seen it this bad. maybe due to the memorial day weekend.

there is always a line out front

this one went along the side and the back fence....

we did not stop this time.

shrimp chips, our favorite after beach snack. made in texas, only sold in hawaii...