40th Anniversary Party!

 It is so hard to throw a surprise party when the people of honor are ever present! But we managed it, even if it finally took me to pointedly tell my parents to "just go upstairs for a while!" so that we could hurriedly set up. Grandpa Camp is a fantastic time to throw an anniversary party because everyone is there.  It is also an awful time for that anniversary party to be a surprise because my parents are always there. And my Mom can't see anyone in the kitchen without sliding in to help.

Guess what? We managed it! Somehow they had no idea we were planning a celebration of 40 wonderful years. They came down the stairs and out onto the back deck with beaming smiles, and that was worth the planning and work while sick, plus sick kids, and pregnant--oh yeah, I'm pregnant again! Due in January.

 Menu: ham, cheese, and spinach sandwich rolls, fruit, chips, and cupcakes all packaged and ready for picnic boxes.

Activities: eat and socialize (my favorite party activity), and questions from the grand kids to my parents about their courtship and marriage. Video taped of course, which is handy since I missed out on most of that. Some little boys needed chasing.

I only got pictures of the set-up seconds before the troops came storming in, and then my hands were full. But I know the actual professional photographer, my cousin Trina, took great photos with people actually in them. So I'll have to get my hands on those too.

The "40" sign I cut out, painted, and assembled while Dean drove trucks on it, pretty sure there are tire marks when you closely in person.

The table runner and dipped paint bottle vases I made late one night to avoid my Mom seeing. She wandered downstairs at midnight anyway to check on something--impossible to get away with anything!

Lissy squeezed all the packaging accessories along with all her clothes into a carry-on. She also made the labels and cupcake toppers happen. Jen made the adorable ruffle cake and cupcakes. Lee sliced and dished fruit. Jill picked wildflowers for me, and Dave scanned and printed the pictures of Mom and Dad. I think everyone enjoyed Dad's shapely legs in his shorty-shorts back in the day. So many others pitched in to make this happen, it was a wonderful party!