Birthday Surprise!

I do not like surprises.  I am reminded often by my family that I used to open my gifts at Christmas and my birthday to see what I was getting.  I don't like people knowing things before me, especially things ABOUT me. 

Jack has surprised me a few times in my life.  Our engagement on a mountain top in Colorado.  A mother's ring given in my hospital room when Owyn was born.  A 40th birthday party with family and friends in our garage.  This year, he pulled off another big surprise for my birthday!

I wasn't expecting much since he had just sent me to Las Vegas with girlfriends last month.  I thought that was my birthday gift and was only expecting something little from Owyn and Zoee.  But he had another plan.

Jack and Owyn made me birthday brownies last night.  I knew that.  What I didn't know was that they doctored it after I went to work this morning.  We met after work at Sam's Pizza, and were met by my mom and my sister and her family. 

Owyn loved having someone else to play pinball with him



Zoee and McKenzie had so much fun together!

We ate pizza and then it was time to cut into the brownies.  I noticed that they were in a box, not in the pan he had baked them in last night.

Me:  Why do they look so high?
Jack:  I cut them and stacked them up.
Me:  (Whispering to my mom) Did he throw the brownies away and buy a cake at HyVee?
Mom:  No, those are the brownies.  They just frosted them and put them in a box.

I started to cut into the brownies and the knife hit something hard.  My first thought was that he had burned them and they were hard as a rock.  I felt so bad that we weren't going to be able to eat them after all the trouble he went to.  But Owyn revealed the truth to me.

Jack:  Be careful
Owyn:  It's an iPad!
Me:  What???
Owyn:  It's an iPad.  We put it under the brownies!

Hitting a hard surface

"What did you do?!?!?"

Owyn was so proud of them for keeping the secret!

There are two things that amaze me about this.  First, he bought me an iPad!  I have been entering contests and talking about getting one but never thought I actually would.  Two, the kids went with him to buy this iPad a couple of weeks ago and NONE OF THEM SPILLED THE SECRET!!

They wrapped it in a ziploc bag, put the brownies on top of it, frosted over the whole thing, decorated the top and presented it to me, the clueless one.  What a wonderful birthday surprise!

There were other gifts in store for me as well. My mom got me a large wooden board to be used for dough. I remember my Grandma Ryan had a large wooden board that she stored next to the oven, and used to roll out dough for cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, kolaches, filled buns, homemade bread, and noodles. All the yummy goodness that was created in her kitchen. I told my mom that I wish I would have taken that board from her house when I had the chance. At the very least, I wish I could find one for myself that wouldn't cost me an arm and leg. My mom came through for me on this birthday!
Her one request is that I make her a pie crust.  No problem...I will happily make a pie crust now!

Sarah and Lance brought me a huge bag from their recent trip to the Bahamas.  It will be great for hauling all our stuff to the pool and beach this summer!  Zoee got me a pink running shirt, but she refused to take a picture with me.

I opened the last two gifts when we got home.  They were both from Owyn, and he was so proud of them.  One is a new running watch.  Mine broke awhile ago and I really needed a new one.  He picked out one with a green band, of course, but I love it!  He also picked out a silver bracelet for me.  I was wondering what he was up to when he kept asking me if I like silver or gold better.  He told me that he found it and picked it out all by himself, but that they have gold if I like that better.  I love the silver bracelet and can't wait to wear it! 

Thanks to my wonderful family for the fun celebration tonight.  What a great start to my birthday weekend!