Mom's Surprise Birthday Party

My mom's surprise birthday party was this weekend. (She's in the front row in the very center of the picture. She's wearing a necklace from her friends that says 'hot flashin' is in fashion'!) It was a B - L - A - S - T. Her friends Pam and Virginia (front row, 2 left of mom and front row far right in the picture) drove down from NW MO and stole her from her surprise pedicure that Connie K (middle, back row, getting her buns burned off by the gas fireplace with me as we waited on the timed camera to go off!) treated her to after work on Friday. They then blindfolded her and drove her out to Kathy Carpenter's (front row, left of mom) "Inn at Clover Hill" where we stayed in the brand new Carriage House. Please visit innatcloverhill.com to view this wonderful retreat. We ate way to much food for supper, enjoyed birthday cake and opened presents, toured Kathy's main house for the bed and breakfast, stayed up playing Monopoly Deal, Blockus and Catch Phrase, and tried to watch a little "Sea Biscuit" on satellite but...yawn...we....yawn....are all...yawn...to old....yawn...to stay up....yawn....past 1:30. As my sister - in - law Nancy's (back row, far right) son Gus said before she left for the party, "Tell Grandma not to sleep with a bunch of old women." Well Gus, she did, we are, and we're proud of it! Mom got the king size bed so, of course, I got to sleep in the king size bed as well. It's a perk. Nancy could have had it but she said, "Then I'd have to listen to you gripe about not getting it for the next 50 years!" She's such a smart girl. And makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. Well, now that my Grandma is gone. Nancy's also a really good card player which is also reminiscient of Grandma! We love games in our family so that's what the majority of the party was - playing games. We also enjoyed the company of Lisa (front right next to mom), Connie H (front row far left) and Cathy (back row far left). Saturday morning mom and I decided, "We have the best friends in the whole world." And we are right. Happy Birthday Mom!