surprise birthday weekend

We decided to make the drive to NJ to surprise my mom for her 50th birthday.  We left at 5 Friday morning, made it around noon (fortunately an uneventful drive) and waited and waited and waited for the birthday girl to come home to her big surprise - okay, her cute little 23 pound surprise. 

here are some pictures of before the big bash while we were waiting



we pretended it was her birthday with a hat and by singing songs.  Her latest favorite is "If You're Happy and You Know It" - it's a sure way to get a smile for a picture these days.




we decorated with streamers...and took lots of pictures of the cute one



Dad roasted up his specialty...luscious beer-can-chicken (using Coke)  

and we watched and listened for airplanes...still a favorite

***to be continued tomorrow...