Dallin's Surprise Birthday Party

My friend Shannon and I have been planning a joint surprise birthday party for our husbands' 30th birthdays for months. Ty turned 30 last Thursday and Dallin turns 30 in a couple weeks. We figured a party after Ty's birthday and before Dallin's would really throw them off. So the 23rd it was!

I was able to find a really cute customizable banner and invitations for dirt cheap on various websites. Pretty much only had to pay shipping! I faked a Relief Society meeting to meet up with Shan at Costco on Tuesday to pick up all the food and order the cake.

As Saturday approached I got really nervous about pulling the whole thing off. We even ran into one of Dallin's friends Friday night who wished him Happy Birthday. !! Luckily, Dallin seemed really confused so I knew he didn't suspect anything.

My plan to get him to his parents' house at noon was to have his sister text him Saturday morning and tell him she'd already taken care of the lawn then have his mom text him a bit later and invite us to "lunch." Friday night Dallin got in his head that he wanted to go to Black Bear Cafe for brunch Saturday morning. (We ate there in St. George and just found out there is one in Sandy and their pancakes are to die for). I panicked for a bit but then he decided to call his parents to see if they wanted to go and thus started the web of lies to get him to the party. His dad told him that he'd already taken care of the lawn and that he was just going to call and invite us to lunch anyway, so to just meet at the house at noon and we'd decide where we were going to go. Couldn't have worked out any more perfect. He didn't suspect a thing.

We stopped at Smith's on the way to his parents and ran into his brother-in-law and sister who were picking up soda for the party. I tried to stall to let them beat us to the house by filling up my 1/2 full tank with gas but ultimately we pulled in right in front of them. Dallin walked in the house and was thoroughly surprised! He was so confused for a minute, he thinks he looked stupid but I thought it was cute. Whew, one surprise accomplished.

The plan was for Ty and Shan to show up about 15 minutes after (his family was already there waiting) but I got a text from Shannon that Ty wasn't feeling well and she wasn't sure they were going to make it. She was going to give him a little time to see if he'd feel up to it. As she gave me updates he was lying on the floor of a rest stop (they were on their way home from a family reunion) and shortly later they were pulled over on the side of the road for him to puke. She decided to tell him about the surprise and see if he even felt well enough to come say hi for a minute. He was so sick he couldn't even do that. So his family enjoyed the BBQ we had all prepared in his honor and took lots of pictures for him. After the party, Dal and I took them some leftover meat and dinosaur cake.

So overall, throwing my first surprise party was a sucess (minus one of the guests of honor!) Dallin had never had a surprise party so it was fun to throw him one. I'll have to take him to Black Bear for his birthday. We're getting the party started early around here!