This past weekend, Eli and I traveled to Grammy and Pop's house for a very special reason. A certain Grammy that we both know and love was turning the BIG 5-0! That only happens every 50 years, so I've been told :) It was a very special event and we didn't want to miss it! Sadly, Josh couldn't come though because he was working with our cabinet guy on the house :( We had lots of fun though and really missed him!
We got there Friday afternoon and immediately started helping with party decorations and food. My brother, Joshua, and my sis-in-law, Andrea, also drove in Friday night, so they were both around to help out as well. We had a lot to do before the party the next day, so we tried to do as much as we could the night before. Andrea and I baked brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and made Oreo balls. We also helped make tissue paper pom poms, which are incredibly easy to make. We went to bed late, but woke up the next morning early with a long "To Do List" of things that needed to be completed before the party.
Saturday morning, Mom and I cleaned the house, iced cupcakes, made punch, washed clothes, swept, mopped, and much more. Eli and Pop headed outside to tackle the backyard and to get it looking neat as a pin. Eli was such a big helper to Pop. He walked with him step for step and did everything Pop did. Around 2:30, Andrea, Josh, and Caleb got back from town and jumped right in and started helping with the decorations. They blew up balloons, hung the pom pom balls, and helped get the food ready. In the middle of all this, Eli took a great nap and woke up ready to party! Before we knew it, it was PARTY TIME! Woo Hoo!
The birthday area all set up
Mom's colors were burlap, black, white, and yellow.
I LOVED her color palette!
Mom knew that people would still be at the party when LSU's game began, so she made sure that Dad set up a TV in the yard for the boys to watch. They seemed to love their little man area :)
I've mentioned before how great of a party planner my mom is, and she didn't disappoint with her own either! Everything was thought through down to the tiniest detail.
The Beverage Table
Nothing tastes better than a nice, cold glass of sweet tea
Thank you Pinterest for the Blueberry Lemonade with mint recipe. Mmmm!
Lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting
topped off with custom cupcake toppers :)
The best party about birthday parties is getting to see and visit with people you haven't seen in a long time. Mom's party was perfect because I was able to see two of my cousins that I haven't seen in FOR-E-VER! Holly and Dusty and my brothers and I used to play all the time together when we were little. In fact, it's hard to remember a birthday, family function, or holiday that didn't involve all of us being together. Now we're all grown up and have kids of our own (well, except for my brothers) and it was neat getting to catch up with each other.
Dusty and his daughter Haley
Since I was the self-designated photographer of the group, I tried to take pictures of all the party guests so Mom could remember who came. Mom's turning the BIG 5-0, remember, so her memory's not what it used to be. HAHA! Love you, Mom! :)
Party guests
Josh and Andrea
Me and Eli
Eli with Uncle Josh and Aunt Andrea
Two sillyheads!
Uncle Caleb and Eli
My mom's bestie, Mrs. Pam, and her husband, Mr. Dale
Mom and Mrs. Pam
Mom's favorite flavor of anything is lemon, so rather than have a birthday cake, she requested my grandma to bake her a lemon pie. We put a candle on the pie and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Eli was glad to help! He had been wanting to sing "Happy Birthday" to his Grammy for a long time!
Mr. Darrell and Mrs. Lisa
Mom and Grandma
Eli with his Great-Great-Aunt Bonnie
Dusty's little girl, Haley, was not feeling that well, so they had to leave the party early. We made sure to get pictures of all of us together again just like old times.
Eli and Hayden
Third cousins (I think!)
Eli and Hayden
Hayden's really cheesing!
Holly, Aunt Bonnie, me
Me and Holly
Just to show you how much we were together when we were little...my first word was "Ha-ee" when I was a baby. I don't have a single childhood memory that doesn't include this girl! I'm so glad I got to catch up with her and with Dusty, too!
All the cousins, together again!
Mrs. Trish and Mr. Gilbert
Mom and Holly
Mom and Aunt Bonnie
Caleb and Aunt Bonnie
Eli and Hayden somehow managed to get some balloons and started chasing each other around with them right when it was time for Hayden to leave. They kept coming over to me to take their picture, but then they'd stick the balloons in front of their faces. Silly, silly boys!!
The surprise of the night was a slideshow Dad made for mom that celebrated moments from the past 50 years. It took him hours and hours to put it together and to scan all the old pictures, but it turned out just perfectly! It was SOO sweet of my Dad to do this for my mom, and we all loved seeing pictures of Mom as she grew up, went to school, met my Dad, started a family, and eventually became a Grammy. It was a wonderful celebration of life!
Mom when she was 1
Mom celebrating her first birthday.
My first birthday cake was on this same cake platter. Eli's first birthday cake was on it, too. If you noticed in the pictures above, Mom's lemon pie was on it, as well!
Wasn't my mom just precious??
My mom and dad when they got married 31 years ago :)
After the slideshow Mom opened her gifts. She had lots of fun doing that! She got a Keurig coffee maker, coffee mugs, an iPad from my dad (JEALOUS!!), pajamas, a beautiful glass hurricane vase, a picture frame, Hot Tamales (her favorite candy), and lots more.
Mrs. Trish, my mom, Mrs. Lisa
It was a WONDERFUL night celebrating my sweet mom. I'm so glad everyone came out to celebrate and join in on the fun! I wish her many, many, many more birthdays and great moments in her life!!! I love you, Mom!
My sweet parents
Our whole fam :)
