On the road again: Chapter ten: the surprise

Well, Dad turned sixty this yr. Mom had the wonderful idea of surprising him. Since we were all gathered a month later than his actual b-day, and since he had already had several smaller celebrations previously, the surprise was great. There were several hilarious close call stories. One was the night that he discovered the IBC root beer item on the Walmart receipt as he was balancing his check book. Mom and I played it off as "Oh, we just thought that when the family gets here, it would be fun to have... I guess we can't hide anything from you, haha." Well, Dad decided that he wanted one right then and there--@ 9:30 P.M. Mom said "no, Buddy, I'm serious. I'm saving it for when everyone is here." Dad insisted. I even tried to pitch in that whenever Don discovered that I had bought something special (ex: fruit snacks or something), he would say "Oh, I'll eat these and buy some more for the boys." Ha! Well, Dad said, yea, I'll do that! Mom said "no, he won't!" I admit, it was quite hilarious. The clincher was when Dad said "If I had bought something special, and you wanted it, then I would let you have it." Ha!!! Finally, Mom consented and plopped one IBC root beer bottle in front of him. Soon, Dad's shoulders began to slump. He returned the bottle to Mom saying "I can't feel good about having it now." Ok, now it might not have been very funny at the time, but it is HISTERICAL now!!! And to think that he didn't suspect anything!

Second close call: Dad taking off for work after Eryn and David had arrived. Mom, Eryn, and I immediately start discussing pre-party plans (how to get Dad away from the house, etc...). Well, in walks Dad, having forgotten somethng. Eryn brilliantly interrupts Mom with a random: "Maurine, Oh, sorry, I can't remember what I was going to ask." Or something like that, saving us yet again from letting the cat out of the bag.

Finally, Daniel unloaded the gift that they brought: a fire pit, placing it on the outside of the house next to the trash recepticles. The next morning, Dad takes the trash out!!! Ok, now really, it was amazing that Dad didn't suspect anything @ that point. Unreal.

Below is Dad sporting his "dear-in-the-headlight look" when we yelled "surprise."

After a steak dinner w/corn on the cob (thanks to Chris and Sarah) and bruschetta (Oh dear on the sp... thanks Sarah! delicious!) and tera misu.... major SP!!... Thanks Eryn!! Then came the talent show.

OK, if you have never seen Dad to his "circus tricks" you are missing out! It is histerical. If only I had video footage. Still photos will have to do.

I must interject here that Dad looks NOTHING like he is sixty years old. Age suits him. I mean, look at the guy! He's in his prime! ;)

Oh, and did I mentioned that he had a sinus infection at the time!!!??? One of the worst ones he has had yet! I am NOT kidding. :)

And now for the kiddos. Of course.

Daisy was natural in the lime light (is that how you spell that, btw?).

I chose above pic partly b/c you can barely read "Hooch" on her pink shirt. When she was younger, Dan and Mel used to call her that. What a trip.

Above is Jon David reading the poem that he wrote to BePops. It was about how the sound "Ops" is one of the best sounds, since it rhymes w/BePops.
And here are all three older kids singing a Super Camp song. I think it is "J is for Jesus, O is for others, and Y aiaiaiaiai is for You, You, You you you you..." Luke's favorite. ;)

Luke:

Isaac, "Coco" for um, short?

Oh, and to finish off the "nick-naming" of the Dan Jones fam: now that they have Colbie, you will never guess her "nick name." They like to call her "corn on the Colbie." Hee hee.

To finish off the evening, Sarah had come up with a very cool family trivia game. Finding out certain things about ourselves (like which boy band hair do we used to want, what pranks we used to pull, and other such embarrassing and fun facts that some of us never knew, was really great). Brilliant!

I haven't laughed that hard in a LONG time. (Above, Sarah and dog, Emory). Below, Dave and Chris (Sarah's hubby).