Happy Birthday Mom!

Well, we did it. We pulled off the surprise 60th birthday party for my mom. She was totally shocked. And she's very hard to fool...but we did it!!

My day started at 5:30 am...you know the usual routine....playing poker, checking scrap boards and blogs, and checking emails. Then at 7:00 am, Tommy took Erik to Morristown cause he was bike riding to Elysian today with his Boy Scout troop. I hopped in the shower. The girls came home from their friend's house (they spent the night last night). And we headed to town.

First stop, the bank. Then over yonder to Wal-Mart. We had to get cards (sad but true I don't like to make them!), dog food, TP, conditioner and balloons and streamers. So on my way to the dog food, I find the seed display. You know the one, the big cardboard box of a display with all the little packets of flower seeds. Yeah, that one. So I started looking. I remember that my mom wanted some Phlox so I was looking diligently for them. I finally found them. I got 2 packets. I also found some Moss Roses, Morning Glory's, and Impatiens. I picked up 2 packets of each. Hey, for 97 cents apiece, I couldn't go wrong! Exit Wal-Mart. On to the next destination.

Nelson's Country Market. To pick up the cake. Not just any cake though, a Pirates of the Caribbean cake. You see, I didn't like any of the Over the Hill cakes and since my mom is in total love with Johnny Depp, well POTC seemed very fitting for her. So exit Nelson's, cake in hand.

Next stop, Tess's house, Party Central.

Tess's house. Tess being my younger sister. The one I wanted my mom to put back. She was a PITA in our younger years, but she's alright now. We arrive at 9:30 am. She says, "I thought you weren't coming until 10?" I say, "Well our running didn't take us as long as I thought." Okay then. We bring in the cake and the decorations. I show her the cake. She approves. Me and the girls start decorating. Now mind you, the decorations are black balloons and black streamers along with some Happy Birthday signage. Tess has no scotch tape. Only BLACK duct tape. How fitting. She starts the thawing of the burger, the boiling of noodles and says she has to go get her girls and some things from Nelson's. Ok. Fine. I cook and finish decorating while she does that.

Tom arrives with Grandma in tow. Tess comes back with her girls and food. All have arrived except the Birthday Girl. Finally, at 11:55 am...she arrives. She gets outta her car, sees the decorations. Doesn't think anything of it actually. Until she comes in the house. And we yell, "Surprise!" I tell her then that we aren't taking her out for lunch as planned....she's shocked! I ask her if she wants to see her cake....she's even more shocked that she gets her own cake! She loves it! She says we are S.O.L. as she's taking it home as is....no cutting into her POTC cake! Yeah, right, whatever!!

She opens her cards up. Loves them all. Then we eat. Nothing spectacular. Just sloppy joes, chips, dip, beans, and tuna salad. The regular family get-together meal. A good eat still. We sit and eat and talk and enjoy each other's company without incident. A nice Saturday afternoon we go to the patio to smoke. Mom still can't believe we pulled it off. She had a blast...and was even more surprised that we thought to go and get Grandma.

Happy 60th Birthday Mom! We love you!