This post has really been a long time coming! I can't believe it has taken me so long to actually get it up here. It was the focus of all of my thoughts, time and energy for a very long time. There were so many times I wanted to write about it but I knew my mom was reading and it would spill the beans so I had to keep it all to myself and save it for now...
Happy 50th Birthday MOM!!!
My beautiful mother turned 50 this year. Isn't that amazing? You'd never guess it by looking at her, but its true.
My mom does everything for everyone. I'm not exaggerating here. She really does. She is involved in so many women's lives it isn't even funny. Whenever people need help with a party, shower, reception, whatever, they call her and she doesn't hesitate to help. If she doesn't have the answer for something she finds it out. If it is something that she can't do personally, she finds someone who can. It's just the way she is. So when I realized this was her big birthday year, I knew we had to go all out.
Lets turn the pages back a few months. It's March. I had just had a baby six weeks prior and I'm sitting at my parents house and trying to figure out how to ask my dad if we can throw my mom a crazy birthday party. I didn't know if he would be up for it. Not just the party part, but the secret part. I knew if we threw a party it had to be a secret. If it wasn't, my mom wouldn't be able to sit back and let us do this for her, or rather, I couldn't do it without her help if I knew I could have it!
I finally got up the nerve and told my dad what I had in mind. The first thing he said was that we should keep it low-key. Low-key was not what I had in mind. So I tried again to explain what I wanted to do and why I thought we should do it. He half heartedly agreed and said we should get some food from a local restaurant and have family over for dinner. Again, not what I had in mind. I tried to nicely say that, and let it go. I didn't know if it was going to happen the way I had imagined.
A month passes and I can't tell you the number of times my mom tells me that this year is her 50th birthday, in case I didn't realize it. She also told me that my dad had told her he wasn't up for a big thing this year so she shouldn't get her hopes up. I wanted my dad to keep it a secret not get her depressed. Guys are so good at this stuff, huh? You could tell my mom was disappointed. I talked to my dad again with the help of my brother he agreed that we should really do something great for my mom. He handed over the reigns and let me begin really planning the party.
It took me 2 months to make all of the decorations, create, label and mail the invitations, plan, calculate and order the food. It was way more of a feet than I ever imagined it would be. It seemed like something new would pop up every day. My dad had me invite about 180 people. I felt like I was throwing a reception. I had no idea what I was doing and I was very nervous about the whole thing.
We decided to serve desserts, as it is summer, we were going to be outside, and there were a lot of poeple expected. So I ordered cupcakes from Dippidee, Cookies from Smart Cookie, Eclaires and Sheet Cake from Schmidts Bakery. I bought cream puff balls from Costco, and some friends of my mother brought fresh fruit. We had a fantastic spread! It was so yummy!
I had a special cake made for my mom from Dippidee. If you know my mom you know she loves purses. She always has one with her and it seems like she always has a new one. She just LOVES them. So I thought this cake was particularly fitting.
The theme of the party was pinwheels. I don't remember where I got the idea but it was all-consuming. I tried to find a template to cut out the pinwheels, but I couldn't find one that I liked or that I thought would work for what I wanted to do so I ended up drawing my own. They really are pretty, but they took forever to make. I think I ended up doing 30 large pinwheels and 20 medium and 20 small. It was crazy. They were everywhere. It is a miracle that my mom didn't see them with how often she is at my house. But miraculously she didn't suspect a thing as you can see...
My dad was AMAZING! I don't know how he did it but he managed to keep this whole thing a secret, plan a fabulous birthday for her besides the party and still get back home at just the right time. As you can see by her face, she was completely surprised. I was so glad to have so many people show up for the party, want to help, and support my mom. I have to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who came and helped!
We had a few tables set up around the yard. Two held food, one held my mom's cake and a book (I'll get to that later) and another one held different jars with assorted candy. The candy was a little thank you for everyone who came. This is not a new idea, so I tried to come up with a different spin on it. This is what I came up with... I found these super cute mini paper bags and mini clothes pins (so freakin' cute). So I made some little thank you cards and attached them to the bag with the clothes pin. It was a fun little twist on an old idea.
I mentioned that one table had a book. As a special gift to my mom from my dad, Sky, and me and my family I created a book with family pictures from the last time we had them done, which luckily was less than a year ago, with space for people to write birthday wishes to her. I was nervous that no one would sign it, but I was so happy to see at the end of the night that every page was full. So many people love my mom, I shouldn't have been surprised. And now she has a special memento to keep from her big party.
Overall the party was a big hit and a ton of fun! I am so glad we did it. There were moments when I wanted to change my mind and just go to dinner like my dad had suggested, but in the end I am so glad we were able to do this big gesture for my mom.
Happy Birthday mom, I love you!
I finally got up the nerve and told my dad what I had in mind. The first thing he said was that we should keep it low-key. Low-key was not what I had in mind. So I tried again to explain what I wanted to do and why I thought we should do it. He half heartedly agreed and said we should get some food from a local restaurant and have family over for dinner. Again, not what I had in mind. I tried to nicely say that, and let it go. I didn't know if it was going to happen the way I had imagined.
A month passes and I can't tell you the number of times my mom tells me that this year is her 50th birthday, in case I didn't realize it. She also told me that my dad had told her he wasn't up for a big thing this year so she shouldn't get her hopes up. I wanted my dad to keep it a secret not get her depressed. Guys are so good at this stuff, huh? You could tell my mom was disappointed. I talked to my dad again with the help of my brother he agreed that we should really do something great for my mom. He handed over the reigns and let me begin really planning the party.
It took me 2 months to make all of the decorations, create, label and mail the invitations, plan, calculate and order the food. It was way more of a feet than I ever imagined it would be. It seemed like something new would pop up every day. My dad had me invite about 180 people. I felt like I was throwing a reception. I had no idea what I was doing and I was very nervous about the whole thing.
We decided to serve desserts, as it is summer, we were going to be outside, and there were a lot of poeple expected. So I ordered cupcakes from Dippidee, Cookies from Smart Cookie, Eclaires and Sheet Cake from Schmidts Bakery. I bought cream puff balls from Costco, and some friends of my mother brought fresh fruit. We had a fantastic spread! It was so yummy!
I had a special cake made for my mom from Dippidee. If you know my mom you know she loves purses. She always has one with her and it seems like she always has a new one. She just LOVES them. So I thought this cake was particularly fitting.
The theme of the party was pinwheels. I don't remember where I got the idea but it was all-consuming. I tried to find a template to cut out the pinwheels, but I couldn't find one that I liked or that I thought would work for what I wanted to do so I ended up drawing my own. They really are pretty, but they took forever to make. I think I ended up doing 30 large pinwheels and 20 medium and 20 small. It was crazy. They were everywhere. It is a miracle that my mom didn't see them with how often she is at my house. But miraculously she didn't suspect a thing as you can see...
My dad was AMAZING! I don't know how he did it but he managed to keep this whole thing a secret, plan a fabulous birthday for her besides the party and still get back home at just the right time. As you can see by her face, she was completely surprised. I was so glad to have so many people show up for the party, want to help, and support my mom. I have to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who came and helped!
We had a few tables set up around the yard. Two held food, one held my mom's cake and a book (I'll get to that later) and another one held different jars with assorted candy. The candy was a little thank you for everyone who came. This is not a new idea, so I tried to come up with a different spin on it. This is what I came up with... I found these super cute mini paper bags and mini clothes pins (so freakin' cute). So I made some little thank you cards and attached them to the bag with the clothes pin. It was a fun little twist on an old idea.
I mentioned that one table had a book. As a special gift to my mom from my dad, Sky, and me and my family I created a book with family pictures from the last time we had them done, which luckily was less than a year ago, with space for people to write birthday wishes to her. I was nervous that no one would sign it, but I was so happy to see at the end of the night that every page was full. So many people love my mom, I shouldn't have been surprised. And now she has a special memento to keep from her big party.
Overall the party was a big hit and a ton of fun! I am so glad we did it. There were moments when I wanted to change my mind and just go to dinner like my dad had suggested, but in the end I am so glad we were able to do this big gesture for my mom.
Happy Birthday mom, I love you!
9 comments:
It looks so so so freakin fantabulous! Way to go Sarah!!!
You are amazing, Sarah! What a great party!
Wow, Sarah. You are an incredible party planner! Happy birthday to your mom!
Looks amazing!! Way to go. It was for sure a night she will never forget!
Looks amazing!! Way to go. It was for sure a night she will never forget!
Wow you are amazing! That looks like one great birthday! Mine was last week, maybe you could hurry and throw something together for this weekend, uh? Love, love the pinwheel idea! Corban wants every pinwheel he sees. Could you maybe fill me in on how to make them, or how to even make a template? Corban would love that. Well done!
Wow! This looks like quite the event. Way to go! I absolutely LOVE the pin wheels! Can I have a copy of your template?!?!?! I would love to borrow your idea for my sister's shower! You are so creative and such a loving daughter!
Thanks ladies! I would be more than happy to share the template I made. I will probably have to mail them to you because I don't have a scanner for 12x12. We'll figure it out!
How stinkin cute! I remember talking to your mom at Grandma's over the 4th and she was so disappointed that everyone was so nonchalant about her big bday! She totally deserved this party! You are so awesome to do this for her! I'll be calling you for my next party's ideas :) You are so creative!!
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