Neal's 30th

I want to start this post by saying that I really do have the best husband in the world. He is such a support to me and this family and I don't know how I would do this life without him. That being said I really wanted to make his 30th birthday the best I could.

On Thursday December 9th I took a day of vacation all while Neal thought that I was at work. In reality I was running around like my hair was on fire getting everthing together for his suprise party that evening. He knew that his parents were coming in for the weekend to take him out to dinner for his birthday. He kept suggesting places he would like to eat but I kept telling him that there was a place that I really wanted to go as a suprise to him. I sent out an e-vite to everyone asking them to be at the Back 9 Golf Academy in Bentonville by 6:15 and that we would arrive at 6:30. Early in the day I put together a spread of food and picked up the cake and dropped it all off at the party location. I also did some decorating. My wonderful friends and sister (Ashley, Erin, Chelsea and Brandon) got there a little before 6 to set out all of the food and cake that I had made and dropped off there earlier in the day.

Neal's parents, Neal, Reese and I all got in the car to head to dinner. About the time when we were going to exit 540 we made him put a blindfold on and at that point he knew something fishy was going on. Once we exited the freeway I made a lot of extra turns to confuse him and I think it worked because he says he was very suprised by where we ended up and was so happy with it all. We all had a fun time.

The real reason that Neal's parents came in was to take care of Reese while we ran off to Miami for the weekend to celebrate his birthday in the sun. I have never laid out and swam in December before but I do think I will plan to do it again one day. It was such a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. We did a lot of eating, some shopping, some laying by the pool and swimming and even got a massage by the ocean. It was a great weekend!

For his actual birthday, the 14th, Reese and I brought him breakfast in bed. We also cooked him his typical birthday dinner, hamburger steak, sauteed mushrooms and fingerling potatoes. It was Reese's Christmas party at school that night as well so we took her to see Santa, which was a fun thing to do on his birthday as well.

All in all I think he had a good birthday week. I am so thankful for him and hope that I spoiled him enough for his 30th celebration.