These Are a Few of Her Favorite Things!

This post is photo overload - you have been warned.  If you proceed, do so knowing that this post is special to me and I'm writing about it so that we will always remember!!

Saturday was the birthday of a very special person.  My mother-in-law's birthday was on Saturday.  She made me promise years ago that I would never be a part of a surprise party for her.  We didn't surprise her.  We told her!  We even gave her options and she chose to spend her special day with family.  Family is ONE of her favorite things!

The first stop of the night was at the Bright Star - a landmark in town.  This restaurant has been in business and owned by the same family longer than any other in the state of Alabama.  We dined at the restaurant of her choice!! 

Laura and Lauren arrived early with balloons and table decorations (and we have no photos!!)

Our friends, Hayden and Jan, were the only non family members who joined us and they were our houseguests from out of state.  We think of them as family!  Jan very graciously went around the table at the restaurant and took a picture of everyone.

Our handsome son and his lovely wife . . .

"uncle" Nathan (really a cousin) and our beautiful daughter

cousins - Kim and Bill

Mark's brother and his wife

the two Susies

Mark's twin brother, wife and daughter

and the two of us . . .and we have no picture of Hayden and Jan!  I will say that I was not at "my best" on Saturday night.  I had been sick on Friday night and was still not quite up to my normal self.

After dinner, we rushed back to our house because we had invited everyone over for dessert.  Here is where we had a tiny element of surprise.  Two of my sister-in-laws and I texted back and forth for weeks coming up with our theme and decorations.  Our theme was "A Few of Her Favorite Things."  My niece made a slide show of pictures and the music was that very song from Sound of Music.  We had the slide show playing on the tv.

So what are a few of her favorite things?

Unsweet (yes, you read that correctly) - unsweet tea (which was poured into that wonderful beverage dispenser . . .I dropped mine on Saturday morning and broke it!!)

She loves shopping - especially at Talbots.  Alice made flower arrangements in moss purses and they were draped with "ribbon" - a roll of stickers from Talbots (they gave my sister-in-law all sorts of fun decorations when she told them what we were doing!!).

She LOVES flowers and faithfully served on the flower committee as the original chairperson for years and years. (see the little red hanger? Talbots!!)

No party is complete without a banner and paper chains!!

She loves caramel cake so we served 8 dozen baby bites!! I put out a plea on facebook to our church friends and asked to borrow cake stands - they all just magically appeared in my office.  What in the world do we do without friends - especially church friends??

We had pictures of her at various stages of life.

She loves nuts so we served almonds and praline pecans.  She loves jelly bellies so we served those.

She loves mystery novels so we had those interspersed throughout the decorations and she also loves movies . . .especially movies with Colin Firth.  He just happened to pay a visit for this special party!  Most all of the ladies had their picture taken with him - even George had his picture taken with him (but I don't have a copy!!)

I love this one of mother and daughter with Colin!

My sweet mother-in-law is on the left and her sister-in-law is on the right.  If I were to tell you how old they are, they might not (they WOULD not) be happy!

Aren't they pretty?  They are southern belles - through and through - college educated; smart; articulate; well read; well loved; deep faith ladies.

Happy birthday Grandmother (that is what I call her along with my kids!! - never have been able to call her anything else!!).  I'm glad that YOU are one of our favorite things.  Thank you for making our lives better.  Thank you for loving us!  Thank you for being YOU!