Surprise!

My mom is turning 50 this year (I'm pretty sure she never reads my blog so I'm safe posting that. Otherwise she might kill me). I decided I wanted to throw her a surprise party, and one of my mom's friends was nice enough to volunteer to let us use her house for the luncheon. I knew from the beginning that my 2 biggest challenges would be (a) planning the party in Las Vegas all the way from Portland, and then while staying in the birthday girl's home keeping it all under wraps, and (b) getting my mom to her friend's house for the party. Early on we knew it would be hard to get my mom there because she doesn't like to leave Peyton (and maybe me, too) while we're in town. So I decided to be the diversion and allow my little sister and cousin to do the party set-up (this was a big exercise for me in letting go of the control- it probably did me good). So we told my mom that the party was for her friend's mother-in-law's 80th birthday party. Knowing my mom might not be all too interested in going, her friend asked her if she would be in charge of the chocolate fountain during the party. My mom wouldn't commit to it, so we pretended that her friend called me and asked me if I would go with my mom to the party. This worked. My mom was incredulous that her friend went over her head and got to me, but nonetheless it got her to the party. Here's how I know she had NO idea of what was going on: 4 days before the party, she had an acid peel on her face, knowing that Saturday-Monday she was going to be peeling like a burn victim. I tried and tried to get her out of it, but she was bent on that peel. "I told you so." So we get to her friend's house and everyone yelled "Surprise!" Her face dropped. She started shaking. At first, she planted her feet and looked like she was about to run away. The she started bawling. Thankfully people started coming over to her and hugging her, otherwise I think she might have fainted. All in all, the party turned out great. Chaz, my grandpa and aunts came in town from Utah, plus one of her oldest friends and her daughter, and we had some cousins and an uncle drive in from California. Lots of people came to celebrate her birthday, and I think she really had a great time. I think it was just what she would have wanted had she had any say in the party; an informal get-together with her closest friends and family. Totally my mom's style. It was a fun day, and I'm very glad it all worked out. My stress levels were through the roof planning this thing. I even ended up with a cold sore from it. But it was worth it.

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Shocked.

Her daddy

My sison

My mom's very favorite drink is Coke, out of a glass bottle. So we set up a "Coke Bar" with Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite in glass bottles, with vanilla syrup and cherry syrup and garnishes. We also had the cutest grey striped paper straws.

I decorated the house with framed pictures of my mom throughout her life. I made her initials with French scenery.

With the help of my mom's co-interior decorating and wedding planning partner, Bootie, I had cards for guests to write notes for my mom, that now are all together in the gorgeous box that Suz gave my mom for her birthday. They read, "Gina you are special to me because..."

My siblings and I gave the birthday girl her favorite cake; Nothing Bundt Cakes' red velvet cake, her 2 favorite treats; sugar cookies from Cookies By Design and a chocolate covered strawberry bouquet from Edible Arrangements, and a bouquet of her favorite flowers; hydrangea.