Surprise Party!

Oh my!  We threw a surprise 60th birthday party for my father today!  What fun!  Mom and I (plus MANY others) have been planning this party for several months.  The surprise was almost a bust due to Dad's curiosity.  Here's how the party went!

Mom planned a weekend at a resort local to us (a short drive for them).  She invited two couples that are long time friends from college to come stay with them.  She planned a Saturday afternoon party with about 40 guests in a conference room.  We created a slideshow of his life to be played before dinner.   There was a fantastic buffet dinner followed by a "roast" by lots of family and friends!

Now, how did Dad almost ruin this surprise?  Well, he saw mail (addressed to Mom) from this resort.  Thinking it was an offer for a golf weekend package he opened it.  He saw "Surprise Birthday Event" and quickly closed it.  He even called the resort to see if they could resend the mail so Mom wouldn't know he peeked!  Mom wasn't happy when she found out, but she cleverly spun the surprise to give away just enough to be believable. She told Dad that she had planned a special weekend with their college friends as a surprise.  This worked well since all their rooms were next to each other.  The guys were able to help keep Dad occupied while we decorated!

As you can see by the picture, Dad was very surprised (he's the one in black with his jaw on the floor)!  He thought he and the guys were meeting the wives for a fancy late lunch at a new restaurant on the resort.  Surprise!  Friends and family from many hours away (including my brother - the dorky one with the camera) to make this day special.  He was definitely blessed by his surprise party.  What a fun and tiring day!