Sweet Surprise

Being completely honest here:  I am not much of a romantic person.  All that mushy stuff and sweet surprises --I'm just not designed to plan those kinds of things.  I'm more of the world domination planner type.  *sigh* 

In contrast, my hubby Jing is all that and more!  He loves cooking up complex schemes to surprise me on Valentine's' Day, Mothers' Day, and every birthday.  Each one had been a wonderful success!

Well, this April was his birthday and I figured I'd take baby steps into this strange world of mushiness and unexpectedness.

I had planned a swim trip for the family (and, before I could stop myself, had classless-ly told him that it was my birthday present for him...ayayay.) to the Village Sports Club.  It wasn't anything special, really, since this was our third time to VSC.  So when we got there, that was when I decided to push this birthday thing up a notch.

While the boys played, I snuck out of sight --actually, I made some lame excuse about looking for a friend who works there, ugh!-- and made it to the sports club pool deck.  There, I've coerced the lifeguards and dining attendants to help me out with a birthday cake.  After a lot of dodging (Jing has a tendency to always look for me because I have a tendency to always get lost), I finally found the perfect cake at the sports club's main resto.

I had wanted to be mushy and unexpected, right?  So here it is --a heart cake!  How surprisingly sweet is that!  (read:  I am not a hearts person either. *sigh*)

The VSC attendants were so accommodating and so forgiving of my lack of birthday surprise expertise.  We talked about the exact time when the cake would be rolled out, where exactly the cake would be sent (it was a huge place with a lot of pools and my boys were just about everywhere), and when the candle would be lighted.  OHMYGOD!  THE CANDLE!  There's a cute story about that.  Of course, if I had planned this better, I would have brought my own birthday cake candle, right?  But, being a newbie, I didn't.  And a birthday cake without a birthday candle was just insane.  Thank goodness one of the waiters happen to be a part time sculptor (I kid you not!).  He got a chapel altar candle and effortlessly chiseled it to be a tiny candle with a lovely red ribbon tied around it, too!  Excellent!

But, rounding up the boys for the surprise was just as difficult as the cake drama.  Finally, Jing had to ask, "You're planning something, aren't you?"  I was SO obvious!  I pace a lot when I plan.  Duh.

It was all worth it when the VSC staff finally came out with the cake though.  Jing's classic surprised reaction sealed the deal.  It's like a mixed happy + embarrassed kind of reaction.  Lol!  Love it!

Blowing out that fine, handcrafted candle.

Happy shot.

Digging in!

Ok, so it wasn't a big surprise.  Nor was it the best.  But it was a good start in a brand new career in sweetness and unexpectedness... and my husband was actually impressed.  Yep, I'm pretty proud of myself. :)
Thanks for helping me pull it off, VSC!

A Mother's Flowerama, Loveapalooza Birthday

Important tip:  When a mother says she doesn't want anything for her birthday, read between the lines... SHE WANTS SOMETHING.  :P
She wants simple appreciation, a little attention, and maybe a heap of love.

Good thing my husband knows me soooo well.  He knows I won't want anything huge, not anything expensive, not anything that will take a lot of his effort and time.  I never said that though.  But couples have this amazing way of reading each others' minds.

So when I came home after spending the most of my birthday at work, I found this!

My 3 boys (and the dog) with 3 bouquets of roses singing (and the dog howling) 'Happy Birthday, Mimi' and then segueing seamlessly to 'Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic'!

It's simple, I know.  And I'm sure you think I'm an overreacting hag who just had to blog about something.  But really... it's a surprise!  Who doesn't like a surprise???

It's a big thing for me because I don't do surprises.  I'm the family's Activity Planner.  I get details and I sit the family down to discuss if we want to make a go for it.  My husband, on the other hand, is the family's Surprise Giver.  He's more spontaneous and more fun than I could ever hope to be.  And with our budget being tight since last year, he still had to spread joy and surprise me no matter what!
Plus, my boys went to town with the 'Eeeyooo-oooh!' part of the popular Police song so can you really blame me for being quick to the giddy?

So that was my most awesome flowerama-loveapalooza birthday --thanks to my most awesome boys!  

Another important tip:  When a woman tells you she doesn't like flowers because they're way too corny, read between the lines... SHE LIKES THEM! :)