Mom's *Surprise* Birthday Party!

My mom turned 6 9 last week (on tax day).  

We don't normally do anything big for birthdays -- usually just dinner somewhere -- but we really wanted to do something fun for mom this year, since she constantly does SO MUCH for all of us kids (and grand-kids).

We knew she would never allow us to spend any money on her, or make a big fuss over a birthday, so a surprise party was the only way to do it!

The planning began and the small white lies were told to get her to come back up here to KC on her birthday.  Although we all had our doubts that she would actually show up on time, it worked like a charm...and she had no idea what was going on.

I got home from work around 5:30, ready to face the wrath because the fake "appointment" I had made that I needed her to be here for had somehow fallen through and she wasn't happy about it.  But she was out mowing the lawn!  Great -- now she's going to be all sweaty and dirty for the party, and I can't tell her to clean up!

Around 6:30, once I had the confirmation that everyone was down at Jason and Kelli's, I finally got her in the car (took some prodding) and went down there to "help Jason with the kids while Kelli went to work out."

And then this happened:

She was surprised all right...and even cried a little!  

After the initial commotion died down, I quickly set up my camera to get a couple of family pictures before dinner/mess/bedtimes.  This one was the winner:

Thanks for the photo bomb, Allie.

(Hadley's little hand on Hudson's cheek is too much!)

Kelli picked up Olive Garden (lasagna, breadsticks, and salad) that morning and baked it before we got there.  I forgot to take pictures of the food spread...because I also forgo how much I looooove those breadsticks!  I was much too busy chowing down on them to take pictures.

After dinner, Allie broke out the amazing cupcakes that Christa brought from some fancy cupcake place out in Leawood.  They were ridiculously good, but oh so sweet!  I was already on a sugar high just from that when mom opened one of her presents...of black licorice and chocolate covered malted milk balls.  Yikes.  (And yes, I had to try both.





After some super cute pics of gram with all her grandkids, it was on to the real event of the night:  a scavenger hunt to find her presents.  

The kids gave her her clues and she figured them out pretty easily...considering the whole thing was put on by a 3 year old!

 Clue 1:  Something about looking where you would get me milk...started out with the easy clues. ;)

Gift 1:  Flight booked to Albuquerque, New Mexico in October!

Clue 2:  Go where you would push me on the swing - pretty self explanatory. 

Gift 2:  Car Rental booked for Albuquerque!

Clue 3:  Something about where you rock me to sleep (ie look in the rocking chair).

Gift 3:  Hotel booked - yes, that's a llama.  

We're staying on a llama farm in Albuquerque!

Clue 4:  Put a show on for me (ie look under the remote)

Gift 4:  A ride in a hot air balloon during the mass ascension on the first day of the  Albuquerque Hot Air Ballon Fest.  (It's been on mom's bucket list her whole life!)

None of it was really a big surprise to her, because we told her about it for Christmas.  (It's Christmas + Birthday this year.)  But it was still fun to let her know it was actually booked and actually happening!!

Now, we couldn't let the evening end without some pretty entertaining games:

Musical chairs was up first -- where Hunter just carried his chair around with him, meaning he never got out!  The game didn't last too long though, because as soon as Hadley got out, she rendered the game over and ran off pouting.  Hahaha - 3 year olds are the best. ;)

(Allie knocked Jason off the chair!)

We moved on to "Pin-the-hat-on-gram."  

I'm still convinced both Allie and Brody cheated and could see, 

because they both got the hats spot on Gram's head!

The videos are here:  BRODY  and ALLIE

That was it for the party.  It turned out be SUCH a fun night and everyone had a blast.  

In fact, on the way home, mom said, "That was the most fun birthday party I've ever had.  I mean, really, even thinking back to when I was a kid...that one was the best."

Can't beat that! :)

The hat stuck to her arm in the pic is where Hadley got it on her turn :)