1.30.2012

Surprise!!!

Happy Monday readers!

This weekend was the perfect combination of fun socializing and relaxation!

Friday night we had a surprise birthday party for Bryce's best friend CWC.  CWC's girlfriend (GSS) had been planning with me for the last few weeks and Bryce and I were an integral part of the process.

I'll give you some background details...

CWC turns 25 today.  Strangely enough, his office is undergoing renovations so all last week he had to work from home.  This was a problem, being that the surprise party was at HIS APARTMENT.  In comes Bryce!  GSS asked him if he would take off work early Friday to entertain CWC for the afternoon.  He agreed and picked CWC up around 4:00 pm to head to G-Force Carts to race go karts.

GSS and I ran errands all afternoon and then headed to CWC's after 4!

Once there, we unloaded the car (lugging cases of a beer, a table, ladder, cooler, and food) up the stairs to his apartment.  We decorated and set up like crazy.  (Sadly, I was so busy that I didn't snap pictures of all the decorations).

The guests began to arrive around 6:30 and we had given Bryce directions to drop CWC off between 6:45 and 7:00.  Bryce was supposed to text me when he was getting close so we would know to all get quiet for his entrance.  Well--Bryce was MIA!  We couldn't get ahold of him and were getting really worried!  GSS did her best to text CWC and figure out where he was without being obvious.  When he knew he was a few minutes away we turned off all the lights and got silent (this was very hard for some of the 20ish attendees).

Still no word from Bryce.

THEN..we heard the door open and close, but no one came up the stairs.  In my head I was thinking CWC had figured out it was a surprise party and was waiting for all of us to start talking again.  Finally, GSS, peeked down the stairs and no one was there.  Turns out, it was one of the party-attendees and when he came in and all the lights were off, he thought we had already headed to the next destination and left.  Once we received his text, we told him to stay in his car until further notice so that he wouldn't ruin the surprise.

THEN...a few minutes later, CWC, really does arrive.  He comes in, turns on the light at the bottom of the stairs and says:  "Hellooo?  Grey?"  No response, so he comes up the stairs.  At that moment we turn on the lights, yell "SURPRISE" and all blow noisemakers!  He really was surprised!

The lighting is off, but can you see the surprise in his face!

Bryce found a parking place and then headed to the party.  Turns out, during the guys' afternoon together, Bryce's phone had gotten dropped into a cup of Gatorade and was not working.  Luckily, the broken phone did not hinder the surprise!

We all visited and ate and drank for a bit.

I made CWC this birthday cake--it was looking rough but luckily, sprinkles and strawberries prettied it up!

The next event of the night was Happy Hour at The Tobacco Company.  GSS rented a trolley for us all to ride over.

The birthday boy and his party planning girlfriend on the trolley!

Bryce and Me

Once we arrived at Tobacco Company, GSS had reserved a bunch of tables, we enjoyed lots of $1 drinks and the guys smoked Shockoe Valley Cigars (made in Richmond) we had gotten for them.  

some of the guys!

party planners!

ABE & SEG

Bryce enjoying his cigar!

When Happy Hour ended we hopped back on the trolley and headed back to CWC's apartment.  His apartment is on the street with many popular bars so it was the perfect homebase.  Bryce and I then left the crowd and walked a few blocks to Home Team Grill.  One of his stepbrothers is in a band that was playing at the Grill.  It's a band comprised of middle aged doctors and lawyers and I think it is so fun to see them let loose!

The band's name is Soul Fly

Bryce's stepbrother is on the far left!

After Home Team we decided to head home.  Saturday morning I found this little guy in my purse!


Saturday was spent cleaning my room, going for a walk with SEG, and pinning for way too long!  

Sunday morning I slept in and had a big pancake breakfast, compliments of my dad, the chef!  After that I had a pretty lazy Sunday and then headed to Bryce's mom's house for dinner to celebrate his stepdad's birthday!  His mom is a domestic goddess extraordinnaire, so as usual, dinner was scrumptious!

How was your weekend?

Have you ever thrown a surprise party?

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Also, I have the blog sale almost completely together and am planning to post Wednesday so be sure to come back and check it out!

Have a Happy Monday!