The weekend of Dec. 3 Mike, William, and I came into St. Louis for Mom Power's birthday. Our coming into St. Louis was a suprise to her, therefore we stayed for a night at Tim & Jessie's (Mike's brother) house before the "big suprise". It was so much fun to plan the party with Mike's sister and brothers. The plan was for Tim and Jessie (and their son Max) to take Mom to dinner for her birthday on the night of the 3rd. They would pick Mom up from her house and on the way to dinner "forget" something back at the house and turn around. Meanwhile, Jen, Mike's sister, her kids, Jerry and Debbie and their kids, and Mike, William, and myself were waiting in the Dierbergs parking lot until we saw Tim, Jessie, and Mom leave the house. We then rushed to the house, forgot the code to get into the house (we forgot to get a key), and had a histerical time texting Jessie and trying to figure out the code without alarming the neighbors or the police. Once we got into the house we set up decorations, food, and gifts then waited for Tim, Jessie, and Mom to arrive. Thus, the first picture shows the grandkids hiding behind the couch and anxiously awaiting for Grandma to walk through the front door. The second picture is Jen holding William, who acted as bait to get Mom/Grandma Power through the front door. How? You ask? After Tim pulled into the drive, Jessie ran into the house to get what she "forgot", which was William. She then took William all bundled up out to the car, climbed in and said "let's go". Grandma/Mom looked at the bundle and wondered what it was as Jessie revealed her suprise. Mom was so astounded that she was speechless for a second, she managed "how did you?... wait, that's William! Where are they!" the last part meaning Mike and myself. The pictures above were taken as Grandma/Mom came in the front door with William and was suprised to see everybody and also as she opened gifts later on in the evening.
I don't think Mom was expecting Mike and I to be coming in town for her birthday, much less a suprise birthday party from her kids and grankids.
Kudos to the kiddos as they knew about the suprise party and did not mention it to Grandma in the days previous to the party.