Hello 60!

Last Thursday, at 3:45 pm, Matt, the kids and I headed for Kansas to begin a fun weekend of celebrating! We had been planning a surprise party for my mom's 60th birthday for months now and I believe I can speak for all of us when I say we were SOOO FRIGGIN' ready for this party to get here! 

Trying to keep a secret from the leader of the family is tough. And made even tougher when you are also trying to plan a birthday party for Sloane the next day with more people attending that mom doesn't know about because they are coming to her surprise party ... that she doesn't know about.

We had to be very careful in our planning and careful in what we said to her. We also had to be careful about what information was divulged to who. In fact, I never included my dad on any of the emails out to guests or texted him about anything party-related because I know mom reads his emails and texts (you all do it, too). I had to remind to immediately delete if I sent him anything about the surprise.

I have no idea how we went for so long without someone spilling the beans. But we did it! And Friday night finally arrived and six of us and a baby Cohen walked down to Aggieville around 7:18 pm, into Wahoo Grill, and a door slowly pulled to the side to reveal...

A large crowd of very important people in my mom's life... and she had no. flippin'. clue.

Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Ahhh... the sweet nectar of success! I love a damn good surprise, people!

My brother, sister-in-law and nephew had said they couldn't come to town until Saturday, but that was all just a big fib - they were the 'greeters' of the party. My aunt Marcia (my mom's sister) had flown in from Massachusetts as well as my cousin Seth from Houston. Her brother Dave and his wife were there as well as one of my dad's brother's and sister, plus their spouses and kids, plus her best buds from college and her very best bud from Sedan -- whom mom had just talked to the night before, as well as my aunt Sally so MAJOR kudos to them for not spilling the beans! My aunt said she considered not answering the phone when mom called just to be safe! Ha!

We had pictures, we had balloons, we had food, we had lots of beer and most importantly, we had lots of laughs!

We all had felt bad the weekend before because last Saturday was my mom's actual birthday. And our original plan had been to have the party on her birthday. Then Lauren decided to tell us she was pregnant and basically due just before mom's birthday. So... we pushed it off a week and luckily, Cohen came two weeks before so we were good! But her birthday last weekend wasn't a big to-do, no big party, no big dinner. She went antique shopping with my sister-in-law while my brother and Anderson roamed the streets in the stroller. But that was about it!

Never did she know that we had this sweet little plan cooking up!

My mom is not one to expect a party like this. In fact, I'm certain she probably prefers to be on the other side of these kinds of parties.

But she deserved this party, this fun, this doting.

My mom is the most selfless person I know. She doesn't say no to much, she tries to make the best of every situation (God bless her), she doesn't hold grudges (not sure where I came from), she has the most heartfelt intentions (I DO get that from her) but is always sidetracked by 10 other things that are going on that sometimes those intentions never come to fruition (The Great Cookbook Idea of 2014). She is as classy as they come.

I have said it many times, but I will always strive to be more like my mom. I know I'll never reach that level because I do hold grudges against people and I'm usually the one that she is trying to make the situation better for... but if I could be a little more like my mom every day, I think my world around me would be a better place.

Happy 60th birthday, mom! As my brother said during his toast, we are crazy about her and are so very lucky to have her as our mom!

And now my days as Secret Keeper are complete!

Did I tell you all my brother and sister-in-law are pregnant again?

JUUUUUUST kidding! ; )

XXOO,
Allyson