SuPriSe Parties

All of us highschool girlfriends are turning 30 this year...so it was really fun to be invited to surprise my childhood fried Darbee for her special day. So nice of her husband Zack to treat us to the Mandarin. Friends Kimi, Jessica, Whitney and Joani were also there with their husbands. After dinner Tom and I went over to Darbee's parents so we could visit with Darb and Zack a bit longer since we never get to see them much and it was so good to visit...we always have big plans of doing fun things together and this year I hope we follow through on at least one:) Happy Birthday Darb...love you!

The very next day on December 9th we surprised my Mom for her 60th Birthday! My siblings had wanted to try and do a video with all my mom's friends etc. but it just didn't happen and so that morning I was feeling bad and started calling around to different relatives and friends and worked all day getting together memories for my mom. It was such a special day to hear from so many people and to be reminded of the wonderful, talented, kind, creative, artistic, giving, loving person that my mom is and how many people love her.  It was also very special to me to sit and think of my favorite memories and things I love about my mom...if only we had time to do this for every birthday.  We made arrangements at the Garden Cafe and the Grand Hotel for all of us kids and Grandma Aposhian to have dinner. The look on my mom's face when she saw us was priceless.

The girls had fun dressing up and using the fancy bathroom with a towel to dry their hands:)

Carson and Zac...I just loved looking down the big table and seeing everyone I love all dressed up and it such a neat setting.

We were seated in the back of the restaurant in our own little cove that was really such a beautiful setting!

My yummy crepe dinner

Cute Granny Aposhian...my pictures aren't the best...taken on my phone

This was the funnest surprise...My Aunt and Uncle's band was playing at some banquet in another room of the Grand and they snuck away to sing "60 Candles"

Us kids each took turns reading aloud some of the memories and we laughed and cried...then we sang happy birthday to the birthday girl!

I love you Mom!  What a lucky person I am to have you as my Mom!

Who knew the Grand America is such a fun place to visit during Christmas...I'm definitely going to take the kids back next year and do the fun window game they have with the free treat from the sweet shop!