HaPpY bIrThDaY!

Yesterday was my mamma's big 5-0 birthday. Happy birthday Mom! My dad was really sneaky and planned a great big fun weekend for her birthday. He even flew  my aunt and uncle and cousins in from Florida to celebrate with us. I wasn't home at the time, but I guess the story goes like this:

My Mom knew something was up but had no idea what. She tried to coax the secret out of all of us but we wouldn't budge. Thursday was the day that everyone was flying in to surprise my mom. My brother told my mom that there was something wrong with the basement toilet and as my mom came down the stairs to check it out  her family was there waiting to surprise her- and surprise her they did!

On Friday everyone drove up to Bear Lake where we checked into a condo and went to dinner and a show at The Pickelville Playhouse. There were friends, neighbors, and family from both sides that came. Dinner was great and afterwards the employees did the electric slide for my Mom and everyone sang to her and we had cake. The show that was playing that night was called "Forever Plaid", and it was SOOO funny! We were all laughing our butts off! Everyone should go and see it! After the show everyone was pretty much exhausted so we all came back and crashed.

Saturday morning me, Justin, Cassie, and my dad woke up at six to get to the beach by seven. We staked out our spot for the seventy people that we had coming, set up the pavilion things, and decorated them for a birthday party. At nine we picked up the wave-runners. Oh my goodness how I love those things! My dad rented four of them for eight hours and so we all got pretty good turns. I was so freaking sore the next day! They totally kicked my trash. My neighbor, Brother Barlow, also brought his boat and was kind enough to let us ride it- which was tons of fun too. Justin and I also brought our four-wheeler for people to ride up to the potty so we just had all sorts of fun toys at the beach that day. There were a ton of people there so it was just a lot of fun to get to talk to everyone, to play on the toys, to swim, and to of course, eat a bunch of crap. Beach food is the best!

After the beach my dad claimed that it was YOYO for dinner that night- and at our house that translates to 'You're On Your Own'. Justin and I ended up going to LaBeau's for dinner with my Aunt Teri ,cousin Kylie, and Justin's parents that had come up for a few hours. After dinner Teri, Kylie, and I met up with my cousin Carlie and soaked in the hot tub for a while to relax our soar muscles- it felt great! And Carlie got a boy's phone number... Score! haha.  After the soak we headed back to the condo just when everyone was getting home from their own dinner. We sat around talking and laughing so hard we were crying, and then it got late and we had to call it a night cause we were again, exhausted!

On Sunday check out was at ten, boo! So basically we woke up, packed, ate a quick meal, and drove home. Justin and I stopped at the in-laws to pick up Zorro and then headed home for a nice long nap before dinner back at the in-laws.

Monday was my mom's actual birthday so everyone met up from the Paulsen family and ate at the Olive Garden, after which we all headed to my house to socialize and have my mom open up her presents. We also got to see the surprise that Cassie made for my mom. She tied 50 messages to balloons that family, friends, and neighbors had written telling my mom why they loved her, and she stuffed all of the balloons in my moms room. I could tell that all of the kind words meant so much to my mom. There are so many people that love her and she has truly touched so many lives.

Justin and I had to say goodbye to everyone from Florida because they are flying out today and we headed back to Logan. It's always so hard to say goodbye, but it was so much fun to see everyone! I actually had two little cousins that I hadn't even met yet so it was so good to see them and meet them. They are too little to remember me I'm sure, but hopefully we can see them again soon. Family is just so important to me and I love spending time with them, especially the ones that live so far away and I never get to see. I know my dad was really nervous that this weekend would go smoothly and that everyone would have a good time, and I am pretty sure it was a huge success! Good job Dad!