SURPRISE PARTY, ENGAGED and MEMORY LANE!!

Last week I was able to fly up to Calgary (at the last minute) to attend my mom's 60th Surprise Birthday Party! The party had been planned for a while but because my siblings and I live in the States, the party planners didn't think we'd want to come up. We found out about it on Monday and on Wednesday night around midnight, I decided to go, thanks to my amazingly awesome friend Lauri, who was able to give me a buddy pass so I could fly up, standby! It was so crazy but thanks to my amazing friends here in CO, I was able to farm out the kids for two days, get to the airport, make the flight and be there for the party. My mom had absolutely NO idea about the party! I even called her an hour before just to "chat". When she walked in and got the "Surprise" she looked at me about 4 times before it even registered to her that it was me standing there. When she finally realized it was me she screamed "what are you doing here!? I just talked to you an hour ago!" It was so funny! I wish my brother and sisters could have been there to surprise her with me, but with how last minute it was, it just didn't work out that way! Of course the party was fabulous with all of mom's friends from over the past 30+ years and Jenny did a FAB job with all the arrangements! Thanks Jen!

Anyway, I know I'm a bit biased but I think my mom looks absolutely FANTASTIC for being 60! One more than one occasion we've been asked if we are sisters. Of course she LOVES it and I'm kind of undecided about all that. Hmmmm, does it mean she looks young or I look OLD! Probably both! HA HA! I hope I can follow in her footsteps and look that good when I'm 60! Happy Birthday Mom!! I love you!!

My Beautiful Momma and her Beautiful Birthday Cake! It was carrot cake on the top and marble on the bottom! YUM!
Me, Mom and sister Jenny
Me and Julie 2 (my sister)
Cousin Meredith, Jen and Me
Aunt Mame and Dave. Two people from my youth whom I LOVE and ADMIRE!! Mame is the Aunt of my best friend from Jr. High. She was also one of my Young Women leaders. They got married when I was in HS and Dave wasn't a member of the church! He came to all the church stuff though and was always so cool. After my freshman year at BYU I was asked to go to the ward youth conference "The Rocky View Challenge". It was a 3 day campout that was amazing and a HUGE memory and testimony builder for everyone involved. At the Youth Conference testimony meeting Dave bore his testimony and announced to all of us that he had decided to get baptized! It was such a powerful experience for all of us there! Dave was baptized shortly after that. He is now a Bishop and still just as awesome as ever! It was fun to visit and catch up with both of them! Love you guys!
My Cousin in law- Kathy! Too funny!
The bouquet of Roses for my mom! The picture doesn't do it justice! There are SIXTY roses!!!
Jeremy, my bro-in law being HILARIOUS as always! You're SOOOO strong Jer!
On a side note, which really isn't a side note, but an EXCITING NOTE, my brother Sean, who we've all been waiting and waiting for him to find the right girl, finally did and at the party snuck away with his girlfriend Katelyn to propose! Of course we all knew he was going to do it so it was quite the ordeal as we all watched and waited for them to return from the spot where he was taking her to propose. Because I drove out to the Party with Jen, I was able to help her set up the spot for him and Uncle Ian was even able to sneak through the bushes and get the proposal on tape! Both Sean and Katelyn were BEAMING all night long! Congratulations! Love You!

The Engagement "set up". The two "blue" boxes were the decoy to make Katelyn think the ring hadn't arrived yet and Sean was giving her the gifts to encourage her to hang on a little longer til the ring came and they could make their engagement official. What she didn't know was that one gift was a charm bracelet, the other gift was a charm with the engraving "Marry Me" on it. By the time she opened the charm and was reading it, Sean was on his knee proposing with the ring box open! TOTALLY surprised her! Too cute!
The path of rose petals leading up to the blanket!
The SPIES! Me, Sister in law Kelly, Sister Jenny and Cousin Meredith! We couldn't see anything from our spot until they started walking back!
The VIDEOGRAPHER! Uncle Ian booked it down to the "spot" and hid in the trees! Sean was miked up and Ian was able to get the whole proposal on tape! Can't wait to see it!
The happy couple walking back! Katelyn was in a daze and neither of them could get the smiles off their faces!

Sean and Katelyn
So in love!
Proud Mama! 8 for 8 (almost)
Mom and Katelyn
Her GORGEOUS ring! (it reminds me alot of my friend Brecken's ring! SO BEAUTIFUL!
Sean, Katelyn and Dad!

Now for the Memory Lane part: My mom has been working on getting all of her pictures onto the computer and then onto discs. She's spent HOURS scanning pictures from all her MILLIONS of albums. She still has HOURS and HOURS left to do! It will be awesome when she gets them all finished!! Anyway, while I was home it was fun to look through some of our old family pictures. I came across so many that brought FLOODS of fun memories! I really did have such a good, fun childhood, not that I ever thought I didn't, just that so many of the memories fade and you forget. Going through the pictures reminded me of what a great family I have, both immediate and extended!!! Anyway, I came across this picture while going through the boxes my mom had! I have been laughing and laughing about it! I showed it to Adam and the kids and they've been laughing over it more than I have! Can you believe my hair? To those of you who know that I describe my hair as "yeast rising" when it dries on its own, here is the evidence! This was my PRE hairdryer, flat iron days! Enjoy!! (PS-It is my soccer picture when I was about 10ish!!) Also, Adam pointed out that if you look just at my face, and try with all your might to NOT look at the hair, my face is EXACTLY Logan's! I've never thought he looked like ME, just like a Miller, but clearly, he is me!

Marilee about 10 years old! NICE HAIR!!! Ha ha ha ha ha! (Erin I think this one gives your childhood picture a little competition :-)