Feel Good Friday: The Big Reveal!

I should have told you I decided to wait until Friday to reveal my Mom’s birthday presents, sorry about that!  I figured most of you had forgotten, but a few emails yesterday proved that I was wrong.  Before I get to the gifts, do you know what today is?  It’s the big day!  NYC baby!!  Please pray for a safe trip free of underwear bombers and bed bugs. 

Moving on…

On our vacation to Silver Lake in July we went to Ludington one day, and happened to stop in a bike shop because my bike was having issues again.  While we were there my Mom started eyeing the Beach Cruisers.  She told my Dad she had to have one.  I told her she was crazy because I had been asking Shawn for a pink beach cruiser for 5 years, and I still wasn’t pimping one, so there was no way she was going to be either!

I don’t think she forgot about the bike, but I think she figured my Dad would never buy her one, so she asked for a suitcase for her birthday.  Meanwhile, my Dad asked me to find her a cruiser!  And so I did:

This isn’t just any bike either people, it’s a Cadillac!  It even came with a bell, and we put a big basket on the front for her, totally pimp!  The day of her birthday my Dad told her that he wouldn’t have her present until the next day, so she wasn’t expecting anything.  After lunch we brought out on the deck for the big reveal:

What’s going on here?  I don’t see any present!

Oh my gosh!!!

She loves it!!

My brother and sister-in-law also got her the suitcase she wanted, so she was delighted!  My sister and her family got her a beautiful dress and sweater, which I think she might wear to the wedding this weekend.  Honestly, when my sister told me she bought my Mom an outfit, I thought she was bat-shit-crazy.  I never buy clothes for anyone except my kids and my husband, it’s just too risky.  But, the outfit was seriously perfect!  Apparently my big sis is a better shopper than I am!

But, what about our gift?  Patience, patience.  Well, for one, we got her the bike basket.  But, our main gift was something she’s been asking for for years, but I was too lazy busy to work on.  She wanted pictures of all her kids and grandkids framed and put on a wall in the living room.  Well, to do all those pictures individually was just too much work, so I found a happy medium:

While we were on Mackinac Island we took a few pictures of all of us (while my parents were gone), so most of the pictures in the frame are from that day.  Here they are…

All of the kids and grandkids:

(On the left is my brother, Jeremy and his wife, Mary is on the next step up from him.  Next to Shawn in the brown shirt is my brother-in-law, Todd and my sister, Andrea is next to him in the pink.)

All the grandkids:

(On the top step from L to R:  Kaytlin holding Ethan, Lainey, Alyssa, Natalie, and Alivia.  Bottom step:  Alex and Ryan.)

My sister’s family:

My brother’s family:

My family:

So there you have it.  My Mom said she had the best birthday ever, and that is something which made me feel really good this week!  Be sure to head on over to The Girl Next Door and link up! 

P.S.  I apologize for my lack of commenting and emailing this week, but don’t give up on me!  I promise I’ll be back up to speed next week after school starts.  Pinky Swear!