This past Tuesday, August 3rd, was my birthday and I celebrated in the best possible way that any person could celebrate their birthday…I went to Costco!
As a card-carrying Executive Member of Costco, I go there frequently, but there’s something extra-special about going to Costco on your birthday. I started this birthday tradition in 2019 and each birthday visit generally goes the same way. First, I choose a Costco that I’ve never visited before. Then I arrive early to make sure that the store isn’t packed with crowds of people bumping into me as they try to load 10 cases of $2.99 Kirkland Signature water into their shopping cart. Then I walk directly to the bakery department in hopes that I can convince them to ditch the chocolate chip and white chocolate cookies in the cookie package and make me a special package of all oatmeal raisin cookies that I can eat instead of a birthday cake.
This year I chose the Costco in East Lyme, Connecticut since I’ve never been there before and I arrived at 9:40am—20 minutes before their opening time. They must have known that it was my birthday because they immediately let me in, and I made a beeline directly to the back of the store. I approached the bakery counter prepared to deliver a persuasive speech titled, “Today is my birthday and the only thing that would make it a happy birthday is a package of freshly baked Costco oatmeal raisin cookies, so please make my dream come true and hand me the goods.” But unfortunately for me, they already packaged all of the cookies and my wish wasn’t going to happen this year. But then I remembered that I was in one of the happiest places on earth on my birthday, so I didn’t let it get me down. I strolled down every aisle and selected a few things that I wanted, then I paid for them and left. What a perfect way to start a perfect day!
Since I was already in Connecticut, I continued further north and made my way to Rhode Island where the birthday festivities continued. First I took a pedal-powered railroad car along the Narragansett Bay, then I took a tour through the Breakers Mansion. Then I stayed in the downtown Newport area for a bit before heading back home.
While the visit to Costco was an amazing birthday gift in itself, some amazing people in my life also took the opportunity to give me gifts to make the day a little more special. I am immensely grateful for every single gift of every size, but there were a couple of gifts that were incredibly unique and I wanted to share them with the world.










Thank you to every single person who recognized my birthday in any way—whether it was through a message, a card, a gift, or just a smile. I’ve always been very low-key when it came to birthdays, but each new year makes me more appreciative of the little things and the amazing people that I’m blessed to have in my life!
Here’s to many more years of life and many more trips to Costco!