The Hub's Surprise 30th

So I'm a little behind on this, considering that the hub's birthday was on the 2nd, but we've just been having way too much fun around here which puts blogging on the back-burner. My priority list goes 1) Fun and then 2) Blog.... and maybe some other important things in there as well BUT! I did successfully surprise the hubs on his birthday and that is definitely worth blogging about (albeit, late) because surprising the hubs is a feat in and of itself.

I have to tell you that I can never - and I know you're not supposed to used the words "always" and "never" - but I can never surprise Brad.

The hubs prides himself in being able to figure things out. He thinks he's won a prize or something. I, on the other hand, am as naive as they come. I didn't even know when he was asking me to marry him... on one knee. But I'll defend myself later on that one.

The main point is: The hubs was surprised. And it was great!

You have no idea what I had to do to pull this off. I created an entirely separate emailing account, had friends do the inviting for me, lied about multiple "Girls Nights" to create the decorations, saved documents on our computer under blasphemous names like "Prayer Journal," had childhood photos couriered up to NY by his parents from PA, made and froze party food in other people's freezers a week before, decorated Megan and Candice's apartment while the hubs was at work two days in advance, and lied and lied some more.

And. it. worked.

Brad and I pulled up to Megan and Candice's apartment with the hubs thinking that they would be watching Abilene while he and I went to dinner.

O contraire, my friend.

The night was so fun. Brad doesn't do big crowds so we kept it small and it was perfect. We even had two more-than-welcomed party crashers come out from camp. I'll give you three guesses to figure out who they were.

The hubs loves the show White Collar so we started out with that theme...

Our good friend, Jon, even altered the photo just for Brad's birthday.

The spitting image of Neil Caffrey, right?

But soon the them turned less "White Collar" and more "what White Collar people do on the weekends... at the Kentucky Derby".

But it was awesome!

There were bow ties everywhere!

We made pin on bow ties for the gentlemen and bow tie clips for the ladies...

Candice, Dani, Megan (wearing a bow tie clip) and Charlie (wearing a bow tie pin)

Donned Megan's upcycled mini-Ketchup bottles with bow ties...

All the ketchup bottles had childhood pictures of the hubs.

And even used them as cake toppers.

I used dress shirts I got from the local consignment shop (for $5) to make all the bow ties and a pendant banner.

Lovin' the Polaroids.

The rest of the decorations were just tablecloths, streamers, and ribbon from the Dollar Store.

Annnd about a million picture of the hub's childhood courtesy of the hub's parents.

There were "Cigars"

and "Mustaches."

Don't you think "Wyatt Earp" is a good look for Abilene?

Hudson played the part equally as well.

And there was food. Such. good. food.

Seriously, my friends are so talented.

Megan made Spicy Whiskey BBQ Sliders from The Pioneer Woman that I, unfortunately, didn't get a picture of because they were gone that fast. Here's a picture of the Pioneer Woman's though so you can drool and then go make some of your own.

Candice made chocolate fondue, including mini cream puffs for dipping. Why have I never thought of that on my own!?

Erin made ridiculously cute and convenient Veggie Cups with Ranch right in the bottom of the cup...

and really good Baked Potato Chips with Chipotle Sauce that I also missed a picture of because they, too, were gone that fast! But here's one from the handy, dandy internet.

We had Mac and Cheese Bites...

Mini Pepperoni Rolls...

Mini Ice Cream Sundaes...

Got a little melty.

and Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing (the hubs favorite) made out of tin cans.

Yep, tin cans! You can find the tutorial by Oh Happy Day here.

We topped the night off with Arnold Palmers (also the hubs favorite) and moved the party two houses down to our good friend's, Meghan and Jon's. Jon had an unexpected visit to the hospital the night before and he and Meghan were sorely missed... so we just took the party to them.

Photo of Charlie I stole from Megan's facebook because it was just that good.

Abilene's party-time/she-kinda-looks-like-a-vampire face.

Oh, what fun. I still can't believe the hubs was surprised. I still can't believe we're actually adults. And I still can't believe we have a toddler and a baby on the way.

Life is good.

Happy Birthday, babe! Here's to 30 more!