Mailing Invitations
I figured I'd mention this while I'm thinking about it. When we're ready to mail invitations, this should be done by either Rachel, Katie, or me. This way, any that get returned as undeliverable won't come to mom and Bo's house. Also, the RSVP should be Rachel, Katie, or me by phone, mail or email.
sap
i love mom.
just thought it needed to be said.
i love you all too.
ok, i'm having a moment of home sickness. can't wait for christmas.
* i sense a theme coming on of maddie on mom's lap. we've now got 2 pictures of that on this blog.
Add on to my ideas of gifts from last week
I was talking to Katie over the weekend. She had the idea of adding to my mask of mom idea. She thought it would be cool if we blew up photos of mom's face at different ages and use those for masks. I think that would be cute.
Also, I was talking to her about how I would like to interview Grandmom and Granddad about her. I originaly thought that in order to do this, I would have to drive out to indiana. Katie suggested having Ben do it over christmas sense they will be there.
Now this is something that they would have to agree to of course. But if they did, I was thinking we all could create a master combined list of questions we think mom would have asked. Then we could mail it to the grandfolks and let them chew on the questions for a while. Then, Ben, you could get them on audio or something. We could edit it afterwards if needed be.
I just think that this is something that Mom has always wished for. She wrote a diary when I was a baby of the first year. I think that is something she thinks is really cool. What does everyone think?
Ideas for special gifts . . .
How about some gift ideas for the birthday girl. . . not necessarily things we'd buy, but idea that show we think she is really special.
Like a Photo album with photos of special moments and special thoughts ( past and present) from the family. Or maybe even a DVD with photo slide shows, music, videos and such.
I am trying to find voice recording from John lennon that I can edit into a birthday message for her that we could play at the party.
How about your thoughts?
We Can't Have ALL Good Pictures!
Woah... It's party time dude. Totally!
Lamp shade making . . .
birthdays are for the birds
Party . . .
Drink in hand, pounding the pavers in Key West with the Muppet road kill!
Name Mom has had over the years!
Feel free to add to the list. Here is what I have so far: Alien Abductees, Gozer, Splinter Man, lady Di, The Silver Bullet, Walwee, Nonna, Miss Furgiuele
A nice pic . . .
Though her reading material looks like it could use an upgrade.
Ma lookin pretty
Isn't she wicked hot.
Party Pic
Not from a birthday, but she's definitely having fun... if you get my drift.
The Date
Feb. 17th or Feb. 24th
I am figuring a Sat night would be good right? What does everyone think? Which date works? I don't have a date book for next year. When is president's weekend?
I don't know if I have off. Is that a national holidaying that everyone has off? I would like to have it at Mom and Bo's. Their home is just so warm and cozy. But if it gets too big, then we should move it to the property owner's. Can you have liquor at the PO?
Expanding on Bo's Suggestion
I think Bo's suggestion for an intimate dinner with mom, and then a surprise party after the dinner is a good idea too.
One thing I would suggest... we come up with a list of people to invite, and then determine whether we should have the surprise party at the house, or if we should try to get someplace bigger, like the Property Owner's Assoc (PO'sA).
R's right, the Michael Feldman thing was fun. However, it was also outside in the yard. This will be in Feb. So, it will be too cold to be outside. If there are a lot of people, it might be nice to have someplace bigger. Besides, if it were held at somewhere like the PO'sA, it would help hide cars from her immediate view, and we could act like we're driving back to the house after dinner, and whoops, we missed the street. And then, we just stop at the PO'sA.
Sharing Birthdays . . .
Here are some of the folks that will also be celebrating birthdays on February 20
Kurt Cobain (1967)
Cindy Crawford (1966)
Charles Barkley (1963)
Patty Hearst (1954)
Ivana Trump (1949)
Peter Strauss (1947)
Jennifer O'Neill (1947)
Sandy Duncan (1946)
Amanda Blake (1929)
Sidney Poitier (1927)
Robert Altman (1925)
Okay, this is where we're at . . .
After thinking about everyone's comments, I think I want to make a suggestion.
I think that we (the immediate) should gather for a dinner someplace. We can make that a surprise, that you guys are coming. We can make it in Cape May or whatever. She's surprised, we give her gifts and things, and then we all come back to the house, where our friends here have set up a party. We can invite some Mt. Airy people, neighborhood people and it'll be a double surprise.
Or, and I am just spitballing . . . the dinner doesn't have to be a surprise. We can just pick a weekend when everyone can make it, and then we all go out to dinner for her birthday together, and have the surprise when we come back. Actually I like that better, because we'd get more time to be with you all.
Party Time Pix
I think we should all take turns posting party pictures of mom. Here's a start...
FYI... for any other posters - chirp - be sure to - chirp - update your profile to NOT display this blog in your list of blogs! CHIRP!
The plan . . .
Guys,
As you know, your mother's 60th birthday is coming up in February and its time for me to figure out how to celebrate.
She and I have talked about doing some vacation thing which is fun and nice, but I was trying to figure out some kind of celebration thing, and I wanted to speak to you all first before I do anything else.
First, I know that for Katie and Chris traveling back up so soon after Christmas would be hard, but I also don't want to assume that you guys wouldn't or couldn't make it. Neither to I want to assume that the rest of you would, so I am throwing this out for discussion to see who is receptive and what ideas we'd want to come up with.
Obviously everything is on the table. We could plan a party, or a dinner or we can all fly to Italy ( okay, maybe we couldn’t do that, though wouldn't that be nice)
We also need to decide whether you want to keep it small (in the family) or let it get bigger.
Give me your thoughts. Don't feel pressured to do anything and don't be afraid to suggest everything, we can always rein in any ideas to make them work.
One last thing . . . DON'T TELL YOUR MOTHER. It's gonna be REALLY hard to surprise her, but if we can, that would be very cool.
. . . Jim
Bo/Guys- I think that is a fantastic idea. I don't
know off the top of my head what I would or could
suggest. However, I would be very happy to help in the
planning and will give it thought. All of the above
sounds like allot of fun. I am though, probably the
most flexable out of the bunch. I think about it and
give feedback later. But it would be cool to
celebrate. thanks Bo
------Rachel
I think it would be cool too. I'm in.
Here's one idea...
When mom turned 40, we held a surprise birthday party for her in Holy Cross' school hall, which was really fun. Wouldn't it be cool to try
to surprise her again with another party like that? Perhaps you
could rent the school hall again. When Jen and I rented it for our
wedding, it was pretty cheap, only around $100 or so. Then, you
could get all of the Mt. Airy folks to show up, people from Cape May,
and elsewhere to come. You could have all of her current friends,
and all of her old friends that she hasn't seen in a while. Perhaps
even Val, Leslie, Terry Horan, etc. could come. You'd have to think
of a way to get her there, though. Maybe you could have someone from Mt. Airy invite you guys to some event there, like a wedding. You
could even make a fake invitation and have the person mail it to you,
and have mom send the RSVP back. Anyway, just a thought. I'll keep
thinking and see what other ideas I can come up with.
-Ben
I do actually like that idea. I think it could be fun
but hard. If people couldn't make it though, we could
have them send video's saying hi and telling funny
"Diana Stories"
------Rachel
Well, one problem I see with that plan is that none of us are in
Mount Airy, so setting up for the party be an issue.
. . .Jim
No, but Jen and I are nearby, and Rachel (and maybe Katie) could stay with us and help set up. I'm sure we could find others to help too.
In any case, this is just one idea. Another idea might be to try to
have a get together somewhere in Bucks County. You could make her
think you're going to your parents house or something.
I'll keep thinking.
At her 40th Birthday, I read her birthday wishes from famous
celebrities, including Ronald Regan. Perhaps this time I could read
her a personal message from President Bush.
;-)
-Ben
That would be GREAT, as long as it was a goodbye message. Think you can arrange that?
;-))
. . .Jim
I'll see what I can do.
-Ben
How about renting a party boat...(no porno cruises, Rachel, sorry)
Something like... http://www.riverboatqueenfleet.com/ Probably too expensive, though.
-Ben
It IS pretty expensive . . . Like 50-80 bucks plus per person. At that price I might opt for lunch at Le Bec Fin, like Sachiyo's party.
Okay, summing up so far
>
> 1. Party at the school hall
> 2. River boat.
We just went to a birthday party in West Cape May at a restaurant, I'm gonna check and see what that cost
Here's another question, should we consider family before friends, or vise versa ( immediate family excepted, of course)
. . .Jim
Yep, expensive. It's just an idea. Can you rent a Ferry Boat from
Cape May? Do they do dinner parties?
By family, what do you mean? Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents?
If so, then I'd say consider friends over family, since most extended
family probably won't come anyway.
-Ben
What do you mean, like Gmom and Gdad, Sammy? I say we
just send them an invite we do the planning. Too hard to figure out. I
think either a restraunt or the school hall would be
cool. Either way, I will help withe planning. Before
we decide who to invite though, don't you think we
need to decide what to do? that would determine the
price per head and how many people. Is Le Bec Fin in
philly?
ok- I was looking on line at restraunts. There is
the Villa Barolo in Warrington, Pa. (villa-barolo.com)
$30 lunch, $50 dinner
Davio's Northern Italian Steak House in down town Philly. $30-$50
Brasserie Perrier in Center City (done by the guys
Of Le Bec Fin only a little cheeper and they have what looks like private rooms w/ long tables or semi
provate) $30-$50.
Just a few ideas. I will keep looking
------Rachel
Dag, y'all, way to leave a sister out. Someone could,
like, CALL me you know. That way i'm not all left out
of the conversation and stuff. Dag.
No, really, that's totally cool and I'd love to do something for her big day. In terms of school hall stuff, what about the property manager's association building? Also, think about if you want to have a big to-do with extendeds and such, would mom want to do that? Sometimes I think she likes that stuff, and then other times I think she just likes to be together and intimate with just us (though we keep getting bigger so that's not too intimate anymore. but you get the
gist.)
here's another idea totally off topic of what you guys
were talking about. but what if jim decides to plan a
"weekend getaway" with mom, including her in the plans
but making all the arrangements. someplace close but
new. and then when they get there we're all there too.
i think mom might really like that.
but i'm cool with whatever idea you all have and we'd love to come up. if there's any way to do it on a weekend, obviously that'd be easier for both of us. but this is important so i'll say i'll definitely come no matter what and i'll have to work on chris.
word to the family,
~~~ katie
It all begins today . . .
Okay, this isn't the first day of planning, and certainly the genesis of all this started a long, long time ago . . . but this is the first day of concrete proof of planning.
This is the blog for Diana's next big birthday. If you know her, you know which.
Here's my idea. I figured I would start the blog, and that the kids and I could plan the whole celebration thing here. We could use it kind of like a clearing house for information, and we'd invite everyone who knows Diana to join in where they see fit. I'd especially love it if people could send along thoughts and greetings for the big day.
In fact, I think I'll work on a way to allow people some type of access to make their own posts, Or maybe i'll do it for them . . . I don't know . . . we'll figure it out as we go along.
Anyway, here we are, November 3, 2006 and we are looking at about 3 months and 17 days till the big day (though the celebration part has not been finalized) That is 108 days until February 20, 2007.
All are welcome.
