A Rather Lengthy Post about a Pretty Fun Weekend

So as you have seen by my previous post, this weekend was my mom’s birthday. Well what you may not know is what a special birthday this was and all the secrets and trickery that came along with this birthday!!

So my mom celebrated her 50th birthday! My mom is ALWAYS doing so much for others but she never does much for herself. It is so hard for us to get her to splurge a little on things for her and she is never a “I Want” kind of person.

So for this birthday my family knew we had to do something very special, but to do so has required months of secrets and lies. Which on a side note is extremely hard to do. My family is VERY close and my mom and I are best friends and I tell her so much. So for me to not just blurt out in a conversation HEY GUESS WHAT….I had to practice a lot of self-control, which basically meant when I talked to my mom over the past couple months I had to keep my mouth shut! Not easy to do. And though I am a person who loves planning surprises for people, it is hard when it is your mother.

So here is what we told her was GOING to happen this weekend:
My dad is a member of Rotary and does a lot of work with it. So we tell mom that it just so happens there is a Rotary meeting in Columbus Saturday morning that my dad has to go to. So the plan was for Mom & Dad to go to Columbus Friday night after work, eat at Wholly Joes Chicago Eatery and then Saturday after Dad’s meeting they would drive up to BG and celebrate Birthdays (Terry's is next weekend) by going to dinner Saturday night. We told her we have reservations made at the hotel and the restaurant of choice.

What REALLY happened:
All of us used the above story as a cover. Everything resolved around keeping the story straight and cohesive and somehow we managed. Friday night mom and dad went to Columbus and went to Wholly Joes Chicago Eatery (mom loves Chicago deep dish). But oh, who might be at Wholly Joes as well – Terry, Kristen and myself – SURPRISE!!! Yep, we went to Columbus to spend the weekend there!! YAY :) She was SO surprised. I love it when I plan falls into place and works out.

So what did we have planned that weekend? Well we stayed at the Hyatt on Capital Square for the weekend (beautiful hotel). Then Saturday morning we went to a Spa where my mom got a facial and K. got a massage. (Unfortunately my facialist had an emergency and cancelled but I got a 20 minute free foot soak in one of the jet baths. No Pedicures though please.) Then all three of us got a spa manicure! It was SO relaxing and so nice to just spend time together the three of us. And this place (Nicci Debro Spa) was so beautiful and relaxing and the people there were so nice. They even gave us some little gifts when we left.


DON’T STOP READING YET – there is WAY more.


After a quick nap at the hotel by T, K and I and a trip to the bar by my parents (yeah, the roles slightly reversed, huh) we went to The Columbus Fish Market to eat dinner. UM YUM. Dinner was amazing! I had lobster bisque (fantastic) and then Mahi Mahi blackened with jambalaya and green beans - delicious. I think everyone’s dinner was very very tasty. And at the end of the dinner the manager came over and wished my mom happy birthday and gave her a rose! Yes, we will be back.

K & I then gave mom her gift. Which was a HUGE, I mean busting at the seems huge scrapbook! K. and I have spent the past few weekends working so long on this thing and it is pretty darn great if I do say so myself.

Now this is where it gets interesting….

At the end of the scrapbook mom came across a couple more things. First being an invitation to a special birthday party we are having in a couple weeks back home with her family and close friends! Cake and punch and the chance for people to wish mom a happy birthday!

The second, and the biggest of surprises, is a special trip for mom and dad to New Orleans – their favorite place!!! YAY!!! Yep, the two of them will be heading down to spend some quality time together, relaxing, and eating great food.

So there it is, months of planning, secrets and trickery…..ahhhhh. Keeping secrets is hard work and stressful! I think my mom was overwhelmed by everything but she was excited. And like I said before, if anyone deserves this, my mom does. She is simply amazing.

Other Noteworthy things from the trip:
- The LA Galaxy stayed at our hotel this weekend. Though we didn’t see David Beckman, rumor was he was there.
- Sunday we went to Whole Foods Market. I had never been there before. This place was pretty darn great! We ate lunch there Sunday before we parted ways.
- I got sick Friday night and have been sick since. Boo.
- We went to the Farmers Market for lunch. T & I enjoyed some Indian food, and I tried lamb for the first time. It was lamb curry and it was actually pretty tasty.
- Parking meters = expensive
- I would never want to live in a city. They are fun to visit but between all the commotion of the people and traffic and the confusion of driving down one-way streets and just driving in general….city life is not for me. Too stressful.
- We had a Starbucks in our hotel – bonus
- My nails look fabulous
- I realize how limited I am on traveling and seeing things…even things in my own home state. I have only been to Columbus a couple times and just for quick weekends. I had never seen the OSU Stadium before. I need to get out more.
- There is nothing like coming back and sleeping in your own bed after a trip somewhere.
- On the way home we passed these dorky tools driving the same cars, just in different colors. They were in one of those car clubs. Their license plates: Twizted4, Codeblu, & Forced4. ugh
- I love to visit new places - ALOT