50th Anniversary Surprise Party

 

You never know quite what to expect when it comes to my family. One day, you might get a phone call saying that it's suddenly been decided that everyone is throwing your grandparents a surprise 50th anniversary formal dinner party, and that any help would be appreciated.

Angel and I only arrived a couple hours before the party began, so we played a very little role in all of the elaborate preparations that had taken place while my grandparents had been away from home on a trip. The key to this surprise is that their anniversary actually isn't till later this year, but when you make it to 50 years, you can afford to be a little lax about specific dates.

While my grandparents were gone for several days, my uncle installed a television and a custom designed fireplace mantle that he had built himself in their house as their gifts. My mom, aunt, siblings, and cousins decorated and planned and cooked up a grand feast.

Angel and I almost didn't attend, a combination of icy roads and our tiny car didn't give us much confidence that a several hour road trip was the best idea...but we decided to prioritize family memories over caution, and went for it.

Twenty family members were there to celebrate, but we were missing eleven more who live in other states and weren't able to make it. The menu was an extravagant 4-course meal served on my grandma's wedding china: french onion soup, followed by a salad, with a main course of roast beef, shrimp, garlic green beans, and mashed potatoes, and everything was topped off with individual fried apple pies and ice cream for dessert!

The program for the evening included the Webkinz music video entitled "Nine Lives" (chosen by my little cousins because the story reminded them of our grandparents), a dance to the song "Let It Go" from Frozen, performed by little sisters, and a round of the "50 Years Wed" game...also known as an effective method of interrogating our grandparents. Never-before-heard stories were shared, from stories of their first fight to the stories of their first kiss.

Our grandparents were thoroughly surprised, and a good time was had by all.

 "50 Years Wed" Game

 Sarah drew cards depicting Grandma and Grandma wearing clothes from the "Little House on the Prairie" era, supposedly when they first got married.

Golden candy for a golden anniversary!

Which couples in your life have passed their 50th anniversary? It sure takes a lot of living to do something like that. And, doubtless, plenty of adventure along the way.