Happy 60th, Mom!

While my prior week in Michigan had been fun, I hadn't originally planned for it to be so long since B and I had already booked tickets to come back the weekend of June 17th to help my dad pull off a surprise party for my mom's 60th birthday.

The plan was simple.  My dad was to take my mom to Stratford, Ontario for the Shakespeare Festival, one of her favorite things to get her away from the house and B, my brother T and I were to swoop in and make a party happen.  And that's exactly how it went - with a LOT of help from family and friends.

Our arriving flight was delayed on Friday so that we didn't hit the ground in the Detroit until nearly 8PM.  Too late to go to Costco or do any of the other shopping necessary until the next day.  Therefore, we spent Friday night getting everything set up around the house and making sure anything that could be cleaned or prepped was done. 

Saturday dawned early as B and I hit what felt like every grocery store, florist and variety store imaginable.  And then we cooked. Our day was spent marinating 25 lbs of lamb, prepping salads and cooking appetizers for 50 people.  B and T took care of all the pick-ups (cupcakes, etc.) and our family friends K and P joined us to break down vegetables and grill off peppers and lamb souvlakia by the dozen.  With 30 minutes to go before everyone was due to arrive I was worried we were a little behind.  Enter the aunts.  My two aunts from Windsor showed up early, anticipating that we might need help.  Add to them two cousins and a family friend and by 6PM everything I was worried about had been completed in a firestorm of aunt directed activity.   I can throw a party with the best of them and while I'm certain we'd have been fine without their help, I am so glad they were there. These women are in their 70s but they make it look effortless.

Every last bit of work was worth it to see the look on my Mom's face when she walked through the door to see 50 of her closest friends and family standing in her kitchen while my brother and his two super helpful friends (one had been there helping most of the day) set of confetti cannons.  She actually had to hold on to the door to steady her shock as my dad leaned in to say, "Gotcha!"

It was a great party. Everyone chatted and enjoyed each others company, the pounds and pounds of food, cupcakes, and homemade Greek sweets courtesy of my aunts. Although I was too busy running around to get pictures, I did get just one of my Aunt V and B cleaning up the aftermath of the confetti cannons.  The paper quantity was so great they decide a snow shovel would be more effective than a dust pan - hilarious!

Happy 60th Birthday, Mom!!