My dad turned the big 6-0 this year! My mom asked my siblings and our spouses if we could put on a surprise party for him and we were all on board. My dad is truly an amazing, special, hard working, loving, and generous man.
I can’t believe God blessed our family with the one and only Bill Smith! Okay, maybe he’s not the only Bill Smith out there, but you get the point 😉
My mom and dad went on a trip to Waco (which I should totally have my mom do a guest post on now that I think about it…!) and all us kids, our spouses, and the grandkids planned to be at my mom and dad’s house when they arrived home from the airport.
We dressed all seven grandkids in shirts and onesies that said “Best Cousin Crew Ever!” because why not 😊
My brother’s family picked up Italian food from one our parents’ favorite restaurants and I made a drip cake that said “Too blessed to be stressed,” which is my dad’s life slogan. He says it every. single. day. and I kind of love that.
Sadie helped me put together the cake, and she was beyond thrilled to be making Pap Pap’s surprise birthday cake.
We did a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream and a chocolate drip around the edges. I piped the words in black icing and decorated the top with a bit of candy–snickers and Oreos.
We all parked on a side street and hid in the kitchen while the kids were all in the living room. The babies were sitting on the floor and the older kids popped out and said “surprise!” when my dad walked up the stairs.
He was totally surprised and I’m so happy we all pulled it off! After that, we dug in to our dinner (pizza, pasta, meatballs, and chicken!), polished off the cake, my dad opened his gifts, and we let the chaos of seven kids ages four and under ensue!
It was one special evening we won’t forget!
Living My Full Life 
I can’t thank you all enough for making dad’s 60th so special (and a surprise!) he truly loved every second of the festivities!!
We love you ALL so much – and I think maybe we need a bigger house! 🥰🥰🥰
It was such a special evening! It was my pleasure to be part of it! I love you guys so much!
Oh how sweet was that Glad it went well. Love the saying Blessed to be stressed I can relate. And that keep you young and going.
Thank you! It was so much fun. I love his saying, too. It’s so true, right?!
This is the sweetest !!!! What a special surprise. Happy birthday to your Dad!!
Thank you so much, Mackenzie!!
HOW FUN! I have never been part of a surprise party, and truthfully it’s probably for the best. I AM AWFUL at secrets. I can keep a personal, verbal secret like no other, but when it comes to planning something or giving a gift I get so antsy to tell people (I still don’t, but I WANT TO.)
This was such a beautiful day, and I adore your family and their love for each other.
It was a blast!! I am the same way with gifts! I always want to give them to someone right when I get it haha. I have to “hide” them on myself if I buy them early 😂
Thank you SO much for the sweet words about my fam! That means so much!!
Happy birthday to your dad!
I have been honored with a few susprise parties but I always almost ruined them 😂 one time I spent to long getting out of my car to enter the house where my sister and friend were waiting with cake and my streamer filled bedroom 😂
Then there was the time I almost didn’t go over to my friends house because I was “in a bad mood” but my sister somehow got me over there and my friend had a surprise pool party ready for me 😂
But my favorite was throwing my sister sweet 16 surprise party. I was the lead in contacting her friends and getting everyone together at a local park. She was really surprised and happy 😊
Thank you, Pree!!
So funny about you almost ruining surprise parties. I feel like I can totally imagine that hahah.