Surprise Party!

Hi! It’s Jilly. Sorry I’ve been kind of MIA this week on the blog! Things have been CRAAAAAZY! A few reasons why:

#1- My seester is coming into town next Tuesday and staying for a week!! Woot! So, I’ve been trying to make a place for her to sleep besides my couch, as comfy as it is. ;)

#2- The kids and I are in a play – A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol – and it opens next Friday!

#3- I’ve been planning a SURPRISE birthday party for my sweet husband. Want to see my plans? I thought you might!

I have a board dedicated to the party on Pinterest, if you’d like to peruse that, but here’s the main “gist” of it. 

On Saturday night the hubs thinks we are going on a date, and that our friends who live one floor down are watching the kids. So, I am taking the kids “down to our friend’s house” and checking on the party (which I am setting up today in our building’s community room).

Then, after I come back upstairs for our “date” a different set of friends (who also live in the building) are going to call hubster and ask him if we want to join them downstairs to play ping pong. He’ll probably say, “Well, Jillian & I are headed out on a date”, then I’ll say, “Oh, we can pop in and play for a minute before we head out.” Then, when we get downstairs—SURPRISE!! Ha ha! It’s gonna be SO awesome!

For the food, I am making BBQ pulled pork sandwiches using THIS delicious-sounding recipe from Dine Like A Pauper. I was going to do pizza, but this will be just as easy, more yummy, and probably cheaper, since the pork shoulder is on sale right now.

source- Dine Like A Pauper 

I will also make BBQ baked beans (saute some onion, pour in a can of baked beans, add BBQ sauce to taste. Voila!), and have some chips and soda.

For dessert I’m going to make cupcakes. I will probably cheat and use a boxed mix for the cupcakes, but I HAVE to make cream cheese frosting, ‘cause it is his favorite. I’m planning to use THIS recipe from Beantown Baker  for the frosting.

source- Beantown Baker

Now, the decorations! I am going to make some of these cute “fireworks” from I Heart Naptime to hang from the ceiling over the buffet area, only I will make them green, which is Hubby’s favorite color.

source- I Heart Naptime

I was planning to just make a birthday banner, but the kids had a great idea! I am going to cut out big letters spelling Happy Birthday, which the kids will decorate. Then, we will hang each letter from the ceiling with fishing line! Festive, eh? I’ll have to post a pic of how it turns out on Instagram. (Follow me so you don’t miss it!)

I found THIS awesome idea for a cupcake stand on Something From Cassie. SO easy, and simple to make work with any theme!

source- Something From Cassie

During the party we will have the adults play some Minute to Win It games, while the kids color, play, or watch a movie. (I don’t really care, as long as they stay out of our hair..ahem, I mean…I love kids!)

source- NBC.com

I think it’s going to be SO much fun, and he is going to be SO surprised! I hope it turns out like I plan, and all my wildest dreams come true. (Aack! I didn’t Vote for Pedro! Shoot!)