Birthday Extravaganza!

My mom's 60th birthday was in October, so we decided to try to go above and beyond this year to make some memorable moments!

Melanie called one day and said she wanted to bring her family in town to help mom paint her kitchen cabinets for her birthday.  We knew mom was starting on this project and it would take FOREVER for her to try to do it by herself, so we wanted to help out!  

The "before" picture. 

 Although mom got started a little by herself.

Working hard and almost there!

Looks like this area needs another coat or two.

Can you believe these cabinets took FOUR coats of paint!!!!

All our supplies ;)

The FINISHED PRODUCT!  It looks so beautiful.  I never imagined it would look as good as it does. The girls spent some long, hard hours painting and painting, but it was worth every minute.  Not to mention we had some good talks, good laughs, and spent some good quality time together :)

(and as a side note, we actually didn't finish over this birthday weekend.  Some more hours were put in later by mom, dad, mom's friend Linda, and me, until finally we got done!!)

So you ask, WHERE WERE THE KIDS while the girls were painting?

Thanks to Mario, Justin, and Dad (Josh was working), the kids were well cared for.

The guys took them to Shelby Farms, the Mall, and to my house.  

Sliding at Shelby Farms!

Taking a banana break in our back yard.

We all got together at our house Saturday night to celebrate Mom, Dad, and Grandad's birthdays!

Justin admires the dried white paint on the end of my pony tail.  Earlier that day, I accidentally dipped my long hair in the paint bucket!  oops!

We ate dinner, then the boys got to play a bit.

Reese tried to hang in there with three rambunctuous boys!

Mario and Mel :)

Present time!  Lucas helps Meme open her gifts.

It was Grandad's birthday too!  So Billie and Grandad got to hang out with us too!

Here Grandad opens his gifts.

And dad didn't know it, but since the family was all together, we decided to celebrate his November birthday now too!

Dad opens his "surprise" presents.

Then we had a special time honoring mom.

Here Dad is "attempting" some "getting older" jokes.  hahahaha!

And he had a sweet speech for mom telling her how much we all love her and how much she means to our family.

Justin and I also gathered together some pictures and put together a DVD for mom.

It was beautiful and ended with a few of us crying happy tears :)

After that, it was time for cake!

The four kiddos help Meme blow out the candles.

Dad even got some "special" brownies, as I called them.

Later I realized from others that you don't call sugar free brownies "special".

It might imply something totally different!  Haha.

What a wonderful weekend celebrating the ones we love!