Still can't believe it- a month ago today!

7.23.12-

  A month ago I got the surprise of a lifetime & am still reeling from the thought of it.  I have wanted to blog about it for some time now but just didn't know where to even begin to tell about it.  It's hard for me to put into words all the feelings I had that day. 

 I guess I should start by saying that I love a good party {& usually I'm the one hosting it} I have been hinting for years to my hubby that I would love a birthday party/ surprise party one year.  It's funny because he & I are so opposite when it comes to stuff like this,  I would love a big bash & he would just be happy staying at home to celebrate his b-day with no big deal made about it. Opposites attract I guess ;)  

 {Not to mention it's his big 4-0 this year- hmmmm..... what should I do?} 

I guess all the hinting {begging, nagging, whining} got to him a bit that he couldn't wait for the big birthday coming up {4-0} so he decided to surprise me a bit early.  Who knew 38 was such a reason to celebrate? 


Little did I know what he had been planning for over a year!  He put together his own P.P.C. {Party Planning Committee} made up of some of my talented friends to plan a surprise 38th birthday party for me.  I can't believe all the planning, texts, conference calls that went on between everyone & I had no idea!  Besides being amazing party planners the P.P.C. were pretty good at keeping a secret, they gave me no hints at all!  

I was kept busy the day of the party by going out to lunch & attending the Temple with my dear friend, Nicolle. We had a great time, little did I know what was taking place in the park across from my house all day in preparation for the party.  It was transformed into party central & my kitchen was P.P.C. headquarters, with people going in & out all afternoon. 

-LoVE this picture of the party set-up because it is of so many of my favorite things.  Pop Bottles, cake-stands, iced lemon water, vintage suitcases, globes & our home in the background.- 

-Miss Mace helping with the set-up.  She was told about the party just the day before. Shhh.... it was a HuGE secret!- 

-Members of the P.P. C. setting out the cupcakes at the last minute- 

-The view from the inside of the tent.  It was darling!  All my friends pitched in & made garlands to hang from the rafters.

There was party treats galore- Snow Cones, Cotton Candy,  Cupcakes & PoPcorn!  

-Stacks & stacks of cups with the cutest labels ever on each & every one of them piled high in an old wooden crate- 

-Loved the little stickers that were on each & every snow cone cup! All the little details just amazed me & made it that much more special- 

-Lots & LOTS of Cupcakes all topped with the most creative & charming cupcake toppers you have ever seen! I couldn't stop looking at them because each little topper was so adorable & meaningful!- 

-Hot buttered popcorn popped in a vintage Popcorn machine & filled into bags that were lined up in one of my vintage bread making pan-

Ok, I just have to draw attention to the Honeybee Beverage crate.  This was one of the first things I saw as I made my way over to the party {once I arrived}  I thought it was the coolest thing ever!  Ty told me as I was entering the tent that that crate & the pop bottles that were on all the tables holding flowers were my birthday gift from him.  AHHH!!  

I thought it was the most perfect gift ever!  I thought for sure he must have purchased it on eBay or found it back East at an antique store while he was away on business but luckily {& amazingly} he found it at an consignment store just right down the street from their office. 

{it was meant to be!} 

-Aren't they just the coolest!  Simply adore the Honey Bee on them!-

-Yeah, there was a live band playing at the party- so FuN!- 

-My dear, sweet friends Michelle & Nicole.  Part of the Tyler's P.P.C. & the best next door neighbors I could ever wish for!  We have been blessed to have lived by some amazing friends!- 

-3 giant blow up toys were set up for all the kids to play on & boy, did they LoVE it!! I think I barely saw my own girls that night they were so busy playing away with friends, cousins & neighbors- 

 One of my little take-a-ways from the night & a little keepsake were these big cutout boards with some of the party logos printed on them.  Everyone who came to the party wrote their names & birthday wishes on them for me to keep. So thoughtful & sweet!  They are both hanging up in my craft room right now for me to look at & remember the evening. 

-Loved this design! Get it?  The Queen Bee- so clever, thanks Michelle!!- 

 So many friends & family came from far & near to celebrate with us.  I was overwhelmed by everyone that came. Friends that I haven't seen for years & years & some friends that have just recently came into my life were there- so grateful for so many wonderful friends & family. 

 Here I come..... pulling  onto our street having NO idea of what was going on in the park.  I first turned the corner, saw the giant tent & thought someone must be having a ward party in the park or a community bash. 

-The Party Planner himself directing traffic!-
Then when I noticed all my family, friends, sisters, nieces & nephews lined up on the street I knew something was up!  WoW, was I completely surprised!!  

-Ty welcoming me home & to my SuRPRiSE 38th Birthday party!  Which, by the way my birthday was 2 weeks before so that's why I was totally in SHoCK & had no idea!- 

-Walking over to the party, still so blown away by what was going on!- 

 Even though I knew what it all was it was still so hard to wrap my brain around everything that was going on & that is was all for ME!  Usually I'm in on all the hosting/planning & party prep so it was a bit strange for me to just walk into something so fabulous & know that it was all planned for me. 

 When I was walking over to the park & taking in all that I could & looking around I just remember thinking, "Oh, I can see my friends fingerprints all over this party."  Every little detail, the banners, colors, decor- it was all so me!  I am lucky to have so many great friends who know me so well that they knew just what would make me smile. In fact, as I was greeting everyone they kept saying, "Oh, you should see your invite!  It's so you, we even thought maybe you designed it yourself" 

-My good friend Michelle, who is the talent behind all the sticker designs, cupcake toppers & invite. She does know me so well!- 

 Thanks to my nice friend Rachel, I have all the pictures from the night.  Thank goodness she thought to take some for us.  I love this picture of me with my family & the tent filled with family & friends in the background. Such a wonderful memory to have for years to come.  

 This picture of the tent as evening is approaching, it was such a wonderful, perfect Summer evening to be outside.  Once it got dark, fireworks lit up the sky for a little firework birthday show. It was the perfect way to end the evening.  As everyone was starting to take down all the decor, the band was packing up & everything was being taken inside & the tent was just sitting there with the lights on, I thought I want to sleep out here,  I don't want the night to be over- it was all so amazing!

{well, we didn't sleep outside but it was a nice thought}  

But I did first thing in the morning, look outside my windows to see if the tent was still there or if I had dreamed everything.  It was still up so I knew that it had really happened. 

These are the amazing friends that were part of the P. P. C secretly planning away for the past year.
{Those sneaky little devils! ;)} 
Part of the P.P.C. even flew in from No. Carolina to help out- I couldn't believe it!  Thanks Pilar, & Natali

-I just had to get in a picture with the P.P.C.
Top: Ty, Vanessa, Pilar, Natali
Middle: Michelle, Miss Mace, Erika, Nicolle H.
Bottom: Rachel, & Nicole Mc. -

This picture sums up the evening pretty well. I was over the moon, blown away by all that was done to throw something like this & to pull it off without me even having a clue.  Thanks to everyone who came, neighbors who helped provide all the electricity for everything in the park, youth from our ward who ran all the concessions, everyone who helped set up, take down & of coarse eat all the yummy treats. I was so relived to only see 5 cupcakes left at the end of the night from I guess the 300 that were ordered.  I didn't want to have to eat them all myself ;) 

-up, UP  & away!!  Having the time of my life at the surprise party of my dreams! Who knew 38 was such a fantastic number, it might just be my favorite number from now on- 

People kept coming up to me all night saying, "Can you believe Tyler did all of this?"  All I could say was, "Yes, I can!"  He is an amazing visionary & when he wants to do something he goes all out & does it big!  It was fun to talk to him , later that night, & learn what really went into planning something like this off.  He showed me a overflowing manila folder with all the notes taken from conference calls with the P.P.C, vendor contact info., invite list, proofs of all the logos, you name it it was in there.  I was so overwhelmed by all the detail & thought that went into this party. Nevermind that he had been out of the country for 10 days a week before the party & he still pulled it off!   

-Love you Ty!-

Thanks for getting the hint all these years & making my dream come true & giving me the surprise party of a lifetime.

Just had to share this last photo- I thought this summed up the day pretty well.  I went to get in the shower that night & this is what I saw, just had to take a picture, I guess drinking a Mt. Dew is what got Tyler through the day.  Haha! 

Here's to #38, it's going to be a great year! 

{M}