{Surprise!}

I'm a little slow in posting this, I suffer from party planning/throwing burnout and blogging about it. The last party I threw was a tough one: 1. I didn't really plan it until the week of the party, 2. I had nothing but a guest list, and 3. It was a surprise party. I figured with all that my mom has been through this year, I would throw her a surprise party for her turning the big 6-0!

Thanks to my mom's friend Liz, she was able to help me with a guest list and their contact info. Thankfully, nearly all of the friends I invited we're able to make it - even with the short notice! I really wanted to do a luau theme party, I had grand ideas... The backyard patio construction put a damper on my grandiose plans (and probably why I procrastinated with the party planning),  I mean,  what is a luau without  Tiki torches and outdoor ambiance?!

Getting my mom to the party was a challenge. I had to lie to her a lot. Her birthday was Friday the 22nd, due to my lack of planning and preparation, the party was on Saturday the 23rd - had it been on her birthday, this would have been much easier! So, the lies I told:

1. Denin had to pick up Jyllian from daycare because she had a fever, so we could not go to dinner with her for her birthday. I felt terrible about it.  Who misses their mom's birthday dinner?! I told her we could go out to dinner Saturday night to celebrate.
2. Jyllian made a miraculous recovery ;) and even went swimming (while the boys had their lessons) Saturday morning, so we were on for dinner!
3. The new store needed a pharmacist to supervise the pharmacy while construction did their thing, I had to go in at 2:00 and was hoping to get out of there at 5:00. (The pharmacy really did need coverage, but not by me, and from 8-2.)  I had to use work as an excuse to get out of "dinner."  This lie would have been completely unnecessary my parents didn't go out to dinner so early all of the time!!!!
4. I didn't think we could go out to eat because I wasn't sure what time I would get home, so I told her I would get something to go and we could have dinner and cake at my house around 6:30. This was a small flaw in my plan, she decided to not wear the new top she was going to wear for dinner.... She looked fine, but commented about not dressing up several times!

So, with the help of Denin, we managed to pull off the party preparations and keep her party a surprise! The secret to our success - we didn't tell the boys (they are the worst secret keepers ever), gave my dad minimal information, and avoided my mom!!  Lesson to take away from all of this - don't dress "down" for dinner at my house, you never know what I'm up to!

{Invite - personal info covered up for Internet purposes!}

{Decorations! Of course I forgot to take a picture of the cake pops!}

{Party guests (I don't know what my mom is doing with her hands!)}

{More guests!}

{Looks like Grammy needs help with her candles!}

{Happy Birthday Mama!  You are a tough one to trick!}

Whew, 3 parties in June! No more parties until my patio is finished - but when that time comes, it will require a giant celebration!!!!!

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