We had a secret party for my moms and dad's anniversary this year. Aimee decorated her house so cute for the event. She also blogged it a lot better than I would have, so I'm posting her blog on here so I can remember all the details later:
"My family has always been slightly unconventional. Ask anyone we were raised with. If there was ever any fireworks going off in the neighborhood, or random events, it was usually my family behind it. But we have never fallen short in the "good times" category. 32 years of marriage, is a really big deal, by any standard. But it seems the stresses in life, have always presented themselves around the fall, these last few years, so we haven't thrown my parents a timely anniversary party. You know, for the big, monumental years. And regardless of the amount of decades, it was time for us kids, to honor my parents, and make THEM the center of attention.So we kept this party secret. Invited Mom and Dad over a few times for dinner with my little family, trying to keep it casual. They had to reschedule, and then at one point my sister had to reschedule, and we had to move it around again! I was telling little lies all over the place, to keep it under wraps. We had babysitters lined up for the kids, and had to coordinate every one's schedules to pull it off. But finally the night came, and every one was in. All the Cutright kids and our spouses were pacing around, waiting for the happy couple to arrive. Running around, and peeking out dark windows. And finally they did. We hid, and then hit them with a bunch of shiny confetti and screamed "Happy Anniversary!" They were so shocked!And in true Aimee Teerlink fashion, I had our camera all prepared, and ended up getting 4 shots of the whole night. I am sooooooo disappointed! But I am lucky, that the food wasn't disappointing! We had stuffed puff pastry hors d'oeuvres, pesto tortellini, salad and french bread, roasted baby carrots, and cheese cake. All completely health conscious foods, and low in fat...
We asked Mom and dad a bunch of questions about their dating and newly wed experience. It was a riot. Dad told us about how poor he was as a kid, so he and his friends (the Rosedale Ruffians, as the neighborhood called them) would go down to the cemetery and wait for the funerals to finish, and they would go and steal the roses off the grave arrangements, to give to their dates! I mean, we laughed so hard! But it comes from knowing the destitute situation my Father was raised in. How mom thought that Dad was a snob when she was first introduced to him at Skags (a grocery store), because he wouldn't look her in the eye. Come to find out he was petrified of girls, and was just afraid of her. How dad told mom their first date that he was interested in finding a wife, and that if she wasn't looking for a husband, that he would probably not ask her out again. And that conversation led to their first make out... on their first date! And we learned that Dad had been engaged 2 times in his life!! Never before revealed. And about what a schemer my mom was. She really played the game well. How my Dad's best friend Rod, called at 6 am, the morning after their wedding, to ask if he and his wife could live in the basement of my parents new home. A lot of priceless memories.
Then we each prepared gifts for them. Angie went first, with an amazing short story she composed, full of analogies, and memories of my parents marriage, and their effect on her. It made us laugh and cry. She is a very talented, and passionate writer, and we LOVED it! Jordan and Brittany made a slide show DVD for mom and dad including all their bloopers. They sang songs, and hosted through out the slide show, and had us rolling on the floor with laughter. Ashley found Tim Tams for mom and dad, as her special memory of them, when we all lived overseas. And I bought them a Zim Zam. A game we all used to play years ago, together as a family. All gifts that they could enjoy together, or would be something meaningful to them.I am just so proud today, of my siblings, and their spouses. I could not have imagined a better outcome for this weekends party, after all the work it took to get us all together! I love my family so much, and am THANKFUL, for this experience."
Joe and I got dressed up for an evening of fun this month at our friend's house just down the street. He's the Milkman and I'm the knocked up house wife. It was cool to really be knocked up!
Meet Jacque Ferguson. She decorated her house to the T for this spooky Halloween party. She's a professional painter, and crafter, so you can see why it looks so cool! This was the treat table.
This was the table where we all ate steaks and chicken and a bunch of other Halloween themed food. Look at the close attention to detail!
This was the photo backdrop. Such a cute and creepy idea to have it a chop shop theme.
The flapper couple and the old geezers. (Brett, sorry to say you looked like a child molester!)
The 3 blind mice (they brought their adorable baby that I almost sat on) and the boy/girl swapped couple.
The 80's couple and Dog the bounty hunter and his wife. (Those Jubblies on Leslie were show stoppers to say the least!)
