SURPRISE! Happy Birthday to me...

Let me first say "I had NO idea!" Second, it was the big 3-0! Third, A LOT of people were very good at keeping secrets from me!

Eli planned a very detailed ruse and I was completely surprise.

I got back into town Friday afternoon from being gone over spring break. Bryan had to stop in Atlanta for work on the way to Brandy's mom's in South GA so we drove together from SC. Bryan met his "boss" at Moe's while Brandy and I went to Chick-fil-a and then hung out at the park until Bryan was finished at work. Brandy gets a call from Bryan saying he is running late and not going to be able to leave tonight so Brandy asked to spend the night. Of course, I say yes. Eli had made reservations for our anniversary dinner and so we call him and tell him to make it for 4 instead of 2. Then my babysitter for the night, Eli's brother cancels (part of the plan) and my sis, Corie, who happened to be at a meeting in Buford and has stopped by to see the kids, volunteers to babysit for the night! I think how perfect!
We leave for dinner, after getting hair and makeup done by Corie. We have a little time before our dinner reservation, which I still have no idea where we are going at this point, so we stop by The Container Store. I love that place! We head to dinner, still not knowing where we are going. We park and walk up into the W hotel and then towards the restaurant, it is at this point I realize we are going to The Spice Market! I am so excited, I love Indian food.
The four of us, Brandy, Bryan, Eli and I, are immediately escorted to our table. I am so busy looking around and taking in the atmosphere, I don't realize there is a table full of my friends right in front of me until I am literally AT the table! I am not quite sure what happened after that, I kinda sat down in complete shock, said hey to everyone and felt shaky. I have NEVER been so surprised. I couldn’t even read the menu I was so surprised. I LOVED it! My favorite people were there; The Opps, Howes, Duggans, Meyers and Sorensens! I had a fabulous dinner and time flew by too fast!
So after eating delicious food, we headed home, so I call my sis to give her a heads up that we will be home soon. But first, we had to meet up with the guy from Bryan's work to pick up a car, which was why he had to stop in ATL. So we stop by his hotel and the guys go up to get the key. A few minutes later, Bryan comes down to the car and tells us the craziest thing, "Eli knows this guy. He knows him from South GA. Come meet him." I totally buy it, so we head up. Man, am I more gullible than I thought. We go up to "the guy’s" room and I walk in and there is a card table with the game Settlers of Catan all set up and ready to play! I just kinda freeze, trying to process what I am seeing. They then tell me that we are staying for the weekend, 2 nights, and Corie, my little sis, is watching ALL 7 kids. I am blown away! I find out a little later that Eli made me cake, had my favorite ice cream, packed for me (that was kinda scary, but he did alright), and had been stashing money away over the last few months.
All the lies start coming to light... Bryan needing to stop in ATL for work, Corie happening to be able to babysit, missing card table, Eli was Bryan’s “boss,” the fact that Eli has been planning this for at least three months, etc, etc, and I am still remembering little things.
We had fun playing games, staying up late, shopping, eating out (without kiddos) and laughing till it hurt! I had such a fun birthday weekend….
and Eli wasn’t done…

This is Eli's master plan conveyed to his co-conspirators in emails...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eli Clanton
Date: Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Subject: Fwd: Mater Plan - well start of the idea for one anyway
To: Corie Jackson


Corie,

Will you still be able to make it around 2 tomorrow? Please messenger me a little before you get here so I know your on your way & when you get here so I know when to have some of the calls go through to Cristie. After you get here I will be having my brother call Cristie to tell her he will not be coming after all. If she doesn't mention who was on the phone or what it was about Brandy was going to try to get her to talk about how he was supposed to babysit so you can chime in that you will babysit so we can still go out. Then a little while later Bryan will be calling Brandy to tell her they need to stay the night and after she asks Cristie about staying then I need you to volunteer to watch all the kids so all 4 of us can go out.

For sleeping arrangements I would suggest putting all of the girls in Carissa & Caitlin's room with pallets & the beds. I would put Caitlin & Ella in the beds & the other 3 on pallets. All of the quilts & extra pillows are in Carissa's closet. I would put Carsten & Peyton in our bed & you & Josh in Carsten's room. This way all the kids are upstairs & you will be less likely to be disturbed in the morning by them. I would put out bowls & about 2 or 3 cereal boxes at night & tell Carissa & Savannah to feed all the kids breakfast when they get up, if you want to sleep in a little.

We will pick up pizzas for dinner Friday. I would suggest sandwiches at the park (awesome new one just opened around the corner - Carissa can show you) for lunch on Saturday. Snacks are above the fridge. There are tortilla chips and cheese puffs in the pantry too. I would suggest spaghetti, corn, & peas on Sat. night (everything's in the pantry).

Cereal again on Sun. morning - same scenario as before. Friday night pull out hot dogs & buns at the bottom of the freezer for lunch on Sunday. I would suggest grilling a couple of pieces of chicken for you & Josh while grilling the hot dogs for the kids and do a veggie or two also. There is also Mac & Cheese in our closet if you want to do that sometime.

We will prob. be home early afternoon sometime.

Thanks again!!!

Eli

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eli Clanton
Date: Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Subject: Mater Plan - well start of the idea for one anyway
To: Brandy Meyers; Corie Jackson; Michael Clanton

Eli take half day (7:00 am to 11:00 am) – tell Cristie that you will be in Atlanta for testing or meeting

Brandy tell Cristie that you will be passing through town on Friday to go to Aubrey’s for the weekend – also say that Bryan has to pick up a car for one of his guys. After dropping Bryan off to Eli head to the house & tell Cristie that you want to hang out at the house while waiting for Bryan because it was going to take a couple of hours for the guy that is bringing to car to get into town, Bryan stayed at the office to get some work done.

Corie & Josh just happen to stop by because they were in the area and wanted to see the kids. (hopefully around 2ish)

Michael calls Cristie to tell her that he doesn’t need to stay after all because his reason for being in town is over early or canceled so he is just going to head home. [My brother Michael called Cristie a couple of days ago to ask if he could stay that weekend so that Cristie will have everything prepared for house guests (you guys & the Meyers kids). of course that will be more than she is expecting, but hey it will all work out as long as she is expecting at least someone to be coming. I will also be talking to Michael this weekend about "babysitting" the kids for us so that Cristie and I can go out on a date since we never get to. This way she will be prepared for going out.]

Corie & Josh offer to babysit so we can still go out.

Eli calls Cristie after getting everything in the hotel to let her know that he is done with testing/meetings & heading home (hopefully around 2:30ish). After a few minutes Bryan calls Brandy to tell her that the guy bringing the car to Bryan was held up & he won’t be in town until around 11:00 PM. Brandy asks if Eli can just pick Bryan up on his way home & asks Cristie if they can stay the night & just go to Aubrey’s on Saturday. Corie & Josh volunteer to watch all the kids so we can all go out. Brandy suggests to Cristie when she calls Eli to pick up Bryan for them to also pick up pizzas for dinner for all the kids, Josh, & Corie.

At the surprise dinner Eli will tell Cristie that it just worked out that Brandy and Bryan were there because he knew they were supposed to be at Aubrey's and wouldn't be able to make it.

After the surprise dinner we stop by the hotel of the guy that is bringing Bryan the car. Eli & Bryan go up to talk to the guy & then he wants to meet Brandy so Cristie & Brandy go up too.