40.

my husband is 40.

forty.

wow.

 

i tried for months to conceal a 40 party for him.

it didn't work.

i tried my best.

i planned this dinner party for eleven of his close friends and their spouses.

it was HUGE amounts of fun.

 

i planned it around our chickens.

well. because that seemed smart.

until. they threw us a wrench.

yes. a wrench.

 

we have been having 4-6 days off between flocks for over a year.

and this time.

well. this time. they gave us THREE WEEKS.

are you kidding me?

so. when we get more than 6 days off, it means that we pack up. and leave.

 

so. naturally. we packed up and went to the mountains our first weekend off.

matt had big plans to pack up and leave for our second weekend off.

which meant leaving thursday thru monday.

i didn't freak out just yet, because we had a wedding on that saturday...

but all the suddern he decided we were going to "skip" it.

he would talk to the mother of the groom, and all would be "fine".

 

oh DEAR. now i started to panic a teeny bit.

 after some panic? questioning? with a friend. i decided i had to tell him something. so...

i told him that we were not going to be able to go away until monday.

because there was a suprise scheduled for sunday.

he said "oh".

that was it.

not another peep from him.

 

[if that was me, i would have been peeping on the computer at his emails.

listening in on phone calls, spying on texts, and bugging him to no end to spill the details.

my man. did not ask a single solitary question.

it kinda drove me crazy actually. :))

it would have been much easier if he asked, and i could have just told him everything.

apparently, he likes surprises. :))]

 

had to remove the centerpieces...just not enough room. ;/

when i decided to have a surprise, i decided to have it catered.

those who know me well, know that i love to entertain. i love to throw parties.

 and i love all the little details.

there was no way i could surprise him, if i was buying and preparing food all week prior

to the party. therefore,

the notion, go big or don't go at all came into play. ;))

 

i used Blue Marlin Catering out of Rising Sun, MD.

i was thrilled with their food and service.

I took care of drinks and desserts, and they covered the rest.

a huge buffet meal, with appetizers and their reknowned crab bisque soup.

#yum.

 

i don't know that i need to have a surprise party anytime real soon. :)))

a) the weather disappointment, and b) trying so hard to surprise, and then it doesn't

work out is kinda a huge bummer. in my book.

but it was a fun night.

matt totally loved it.

thank you so much to everyone who came.

it was truely a time of having his closest friends together.

thank you for the part each of you  play in our lives.

we are blessed.

 

that was something else funny.

it was a holiday weekend, so i anticipated only a few people making it, and EVERYONE could come.

so.much.fun.

 

the other glitch was...the weather.

i was hoping to host one of those beautiful outdoor parties, by our pond.

you know, totally pinterest inspired.

i was so excited.

a friend, and my sister, and parents came to help me decorate...and prep.

 

well. it poured. FOUR times, from set up to completion of party.

so...obviously we did make the right choice, and had it inside.

huge deviation. but fun. none the less.

lots of moving furniture, throwing things in closets, and putting my mom to work at

putting vases of flowers everywhere. ;))

 

stunning clouds...

my friend, kelly, holding my other friends baby, sadie. :)

i really did have lots of flowers...they just didn't fit on this table either. :))

thankful for a big house that can house 24 guests.
cozy. but not unbearable.
thanks to everyone who helped me pull it off.

happy 40th babe.
xoxo.