My 30th Birthday Surprises

As most of you all know, I turned 30 last month...September 17th, to be exact. It was a pretty uneventful birthday filled with yummy chocolate cake, a heap of Facebook greetings, and a whopper of a migraine. I was feeling a bit better by evening, so Adam took the kids into town to pick up some take-out Fultano's Pizza (my request). The kids gave me a camera strap slipcover that I LOVE, and Adam said that his gift to me was on it's way via USPS. As usual, I had told him not to get me anything big, and I was perfectly happy to spend a quiet evening at home with my family. The next day was going to be busy, as I was helping out at Tonya and Chris's wedding! So, really, celebrating my birthday was not number one on my priority list.

Camera strap cover (an Etsy.com find)

Little did I know...Adam had a few surprises in store.

The next week I was looking forward to getting a phone call from my dear friend and former roommate Sarah. I hadn't talked to her in ages (at least a YEAR), and she had just gotten engaged and I wanted to hear all the details. She called. We talked. Then, the subject of getting together came up. For over a year now, my roommates and I have been trying to find a weekend to spend together, and it just hasn't happened. In August we were seriously considering September, and as September started coming to an end, I decided "enough is enough!" Sarah suggested the first weekend in October would be good and I told her I would ask Natalie. Mandy, our non-roommate friend wasn't going to be able to make it because another of our college friends was getting married.

That evening, I got a message from Nattie saying that she could make it. I was stoked!! I was texting both Sarah and Nat at the same time getting all the details worked out. I knew that Adam would be fine with it, but I finally asked..."hey honey, is it OK if I have some friends over for the first weekend in October?" Strangely, he responded..."what friends?" Long, sad story short, Adam had already asked them to come for that weekend for a birthday surprise! I was still VERY surprised and VERY touched that Adam would go to such lengths to make my birthday special. I couldn't believe I had unintentionally ruined it...I mean, really...I talk to Sarah once a year!!


The next weekend (September 25th-26th), we got in our car accident. We didn't go to church that Sunday because...well, we didn't feel up to it. Sunday evening my family showed up with pizza, salad, and cake. I thought they were there to cheer us up from the accident, but instead they were there because Adam had asked them to a few weeks prior. Because my birthday weekend was full of wedding and headache, he wanted to give me a surprise mini-party!

Adam was kinda bummed that my gift hadn't arrived in the mail yet. It actually got sent registered mail and was delivered to the post office. I picked it up the next week. Unfortunately, it was packaged in a bag sent from Great Britain and I could totally guess what it was. I was impressed he remembered the hint I gave him a few months prior! I couldn't wait to open it, as it was still going to be a surprise because I didn't know what design he picked. When he finally came home from work I ripped it open to find he'd picked one I loved! He bought me a Golla DSLR camera bag with a design only available overseas. I love it, love it, LOVE it! Super sturdy, durable, well-made, comfortable, and stylish. It's even got a zipper wallet compartment in the front so I can use it as my purse for travel! Plus, the inside is PINK!

Later that week we all got a bad cold. Mom had wanted to take me shopping for some new jeans for my birthday and we were having a hard time finding a day to do it. That Friday, though I was feeling miserable, was the only day that seemed to work. So, when Mom got off work, we packed up the kids and headed to Tanasbourne. We actually had a really nice time. Surprisingly enough, I found some pants that fit (among other things)! We ate at the Macaroni Grill and headed home late. Funny story...we got "accidentally" pulled over on the way home by the same cop that handled our car accident the weekend prior. I think he was a little embarrassed that he pulled over the wrong car. Still, the flashing blue and red was enough to get us worked up for the rest of the ride home.

The next day my roomies were coming! Adam had to go out of town to take care of some things, so the kids and I were left without a vehicle. We had the Montero, but because we forfeited Soren's car seat in the accident we couldn't take the kids (the boosters don't work in the Montero). Sarah and Nattie arrived around noon and the kids were in our faces for the rest of the day. They love guests and always want to be the center of attention...so, they were. I was bummed that Adam didn't come home earlier...and we didn't get to leave the house to have dinner till almost 7:00. Because it was late, the girls and I opted to not take the long drive into town, and instead have dinner at "The Logger." They found it quaint, to say the least...not to mention, it was homecoming night and all the kids were gussied up for a nice dinner at, none other than..."The Logger!" *sigh* The girls now want to make it a tradition...lol!

Me, Nattie, Sarah

We arrived back home to find an empty house. Part of the birthday surprise that I didn't know about was that Adam planned to take the kids and spend the night at my parents house. It was nice to stay up late and not have to worry about waking the kids with our laughter. We had a blast! Truly...it was just like old times.

In conclusion, my 30th birthday was flat-out awesome! Thanks to everyone, especially my sweetheart, for making this milestone a celebration to remember fondly.

Surprise 25th Anniversary Party!

I suppose I had been planning this party for the better part of the last year, however, I didn't really get started till about a month ago. With my siblings on board, I decided to throw a small surprise 25th anniversary party for Mom and Dad. I could go into great detail on how elaborate our plan was to surprise them, but I'm afraid this blog would go on for quite some time. It's hard to keep a surprise in such a small town, let alone Synnove (she LOVES to spill the beans!). We covered all of our tracks and made sure that the party was a well kept secret.

The plan was to invite them over for a "pre-mother's day dinner" at my house. Henry was leaving for Junior's Abroad with GFU to Australia and Dad was going to be working on Mother's Day (their actual anniversary), so it was a good excuse to get together. I told them to meet at my house at around 1:30. It worked out perfectly, because we had to find a way to get them here after everyone arrived...but everyone goes to church (some of them the same church) and if they left early from church, that would look quite suspicious. Fortunately, my church gets out quite a bit later than everyone else's, so it was a logical reason to meet at my house later than they would get out of church. Make sense? We, of course, skipped church to prep for the party. We decided to try to hide everyone's car for a true surprise. Adam spent all morning clearing out 3 of the 7 bays of the shop (yes, every one is FULL) and strategizing. He successfully hid about 6 cars!

Grandma Barbara offered to make spaghetti and and bread and left church early (and yes, my parents asked where they went!) to come over and finish making it. All morning I was stressing out about Mom and Dad's arrival. It wasn't until my brother texted me saying "Grandma Backe just told mom and dad that Grandma Barb (her daughter...not to be confused with Grandma Barbara) is headed out to our house for a party!" I couldn't believe it!! I was sick. For those that don't know, my Great Grandma Backe is 99 years old and lives in a retirement/care home...the same place where a gentleman at my parent's church lives. Normally, I think, my grandparents (the ones who left church early) take him home after church. BUT, since they weren't there, my parents did...and when they did, they decided to visit Grandma Backe, whom they haven't visited in MONTHS!! That day...of ALL days...WHY!!?? ANYway, my Dad corrected her and said something like "no, we're going over to Nicole's for a Mother's Day dinner." No suspicions arose, no damage done. Phew!

Elise and I strategized on how they would arrive. They would all go in one car...Elise's truck. That way, they wouldn't have the chance to turn around in the driveway and risk seeing the cars parked on the side of the house. Like I said, it was an very well thought out plan.

All the guests (just the Thompson families and the Balensifer families) arrived on time and we anxiously awaited Mom and Dad's arrival...they were 30 minutes late. I stood at the top of the stairs with a video camera while everyone stood silent hidden in the living room. Mom didn't even seem to think it was odd that I was holding the camera while they walked in the door, and it took them a while to finally realize that the party was for them. It worked out perfectly. The party was awesome...just plain awesome. It was so nice to give them a special day complete with cake, gifts, toasts, family, and food (something they didn't get when they eloped 25 years ago!).

I included a bunch of pictures, but they are all terrible...taken with that camera that I took back. But, they're all I got!...

The cake "table"

Waiting for Mom and Dad to arrive. I stole 5 photo albums from my parent's house of the "early years" from before they met till Henry's birth.

Just coming up the stairs and realizing that the party is for her :)

Still arriving...Dad's finally cluing in.

All of the people present on their actual wedding day. To the right of my dad is my Uncle Mark (my Dad's brother) and to the right of my mom is my Aunt Jeanne (my mom's oldest sister). I was 4 when they married and proudly adopted by my Daddy :)

Some heartfelt and tearful toasts to the happy couple...

I stitched them up a gift and had it framed...a special anniversary record with names, dates, children, etc.

Dad, opening up the "2nd Honeymoon Fund." Instead of guests bringing gifts I told them to bring cash to put in a special gift box. It's hard for proud adults to accept money from their family...so this way they didn't have a clue who gave what!

Yes, we made them do it all...and they were gracious receivers.

Mom and Dad got the first bite...and Soren got the second :)

Thanks Mom and Dad for being such wonderful parents. I love you both so much, and it was a pleasure to surprise you. You deserved your day in the spotlight :)