PRETZEL!

i don't think i've ever had a week as busy as this week.

for the past four days it has been one party after another and the partying will continue for another four days too.

apparently we need to stop being so popular so we can actually have some relaxing Christmas time.

this week went like this...

Wednesday: Sari's chorus singing at the temple

Thursday: work Christmas party

Friday: Steven's surprise graduation party

Saturday: Dad's surprise birthday party

i was especially excited for Dad's surprise birthday party.

his birthday is on December 24th so he never ever gets a proper party so we had the brilliant idea to throw him a surprise party since he would never expect it.

it worked like a charm.

sorry the video is so dark.

actually, sorry all the pictures are dark.

we're getting a new camera for Christmas because i can't stand this old piece of junk any longer!

so if you can't see the video here's how it went down...

Dad walks in, lights go on, Christy yells PRETZEL which was our code word so we knew when to yell SURPRISE, Dad was surprised and then Samuel gets excited and falls on the floor.

amazing!

the only problem was that we were hiding for a good 10 minutes before they got there.

Sari was supposed to text us when they were close but apparently "close" means different things to different people haha!

we had soup and bread bowls for din din because we thought Dad would love that.

i made a tasty minestrone soup and Christy made a delectable potato soup.

Amanda and her girls gave Dad the best present ever!

it's a pancake basket!

it's got spatulas and pancake mixes and peanut butter and syrup.

i'm seriously obsessed with this pancake basket!

i want one.

now.

this is the face Matt does when i'm trying to take his picture and my mom is poking him.

and this is what my cute little niece Sammy does to show me how strong she is!

this girl seriously has some muscles on her!

she can do real push ups and she's only 4!

and here's her baby sister Abby being just like big sister.

muscles! too cute!

then it's cake time!

Dad loves german chocolate cake so that's what he gets!

and this is the face Dad makes when my camera won't take his picture for a long time and he's sick of smiling.

like i said, new camera for Christmas.

actually the picture looks better this way.

over the hill people shouldn't be smiling about it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

i hope you loved your par-tay!