Amtrak ride to Dallas

We surprised Noah with a trip on the Amtrak train today for his 7th birthday. We rode to Dallas & went to the aquarium & downtown. Paw Paw & Sarah came with us & we saw the sights. Noah loved his surprise! Happy 7th, my love!









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Noah's 7th Surprise Birthday Party

Noah's surprise face at his 7th birthday

This is the face of a real surprise!! Even though Noah told me he wanted a surprise birthday for his 7th, he told several people he thought I forgot because there weren't decorations all over the house like there normally are for one of his parties. Priceless face!

Noah's 7th SURPRISE Birthday Party!

Noah wanted a surprise alligator birthday party for his 7th birthday party, so that's what he got. Never mind the fact that I just had a baby and started back to work.  This is what he wanted.  Thanks to our friends and family that kept the secret...which is almost impossible with 7 year old guests...and SPECIAL thanks to Paw Paw for helping us pull it off! Happy birthday to my favorite oldest son! Mommy loves you, Noah!!

Entering the room---He had NO IDEA what was going on.  He froze for a few seconds.  He almost looked as though he was going to cry at first---but after he realized what was happening, he was as happy as a 7 year old boy can be!!! PRICELESS!

SURPRISE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Jackson in his alligator hat (age 4) 

Mommy & Daddy with the birthday boy & Jackson. Annemarie was asleep and wasn't in this picture.

Mommy & Noah, the birthday boy!!!

Happy Birthday, Noah! Mommy loves you!!!

Noah's 7th Surprise Birthday Party

Noah's 7th birthday party was in his words, "The BEST party I've ever had!"
He told me he wanted a "surprise party" for his 7th birthday. I tried to steer him away from that idea, but that's what he continued to describe for his birthday theme.  I told him that lots of work went into planning a surprise party, and that we couldn't have the party at our home because he would see the decorations and party planning.  He worked around that and informed me that I could surprise him at either Discovery Science Place, Jumping Jacks, or somewhere else that I already forgot.  (Does he KNOW I just had a baby and this was going to be an epic amount of work and life force?!?)  BUT, I pulled it off...and it was totally worth it.  He also specified the theme for me: an alligator surprise party.  No tall order there, right? What can I say? The kid knows what he wants. I have a feeling he gets that honest!

This was Noah's cake---not my typical 2-tier, fondant covered masterpiece I usually do...and when I say, "I," I mean, "Village Bakery." But, Noah was clear: He wanted a buttercream cake with white icing and white cake with chocolate filling. SO that's what he got.  I did perk it up a bit by placing a REAL alligator's head atop the cake. That got BIG points from the 7 year old boys in the crowd! 

 

The spread

Every year since his 1st birthday, I have made cookies for Noah's party---this year was the year of the alligator...so, navy & green gator cookies it was!

 

Gator cookies, gator gummies, gator cupcakes, & green jello (non-alcoholic; although, many parents requested that I re-think the whole non-alcoholic thing for the next party!)

All the kiddos got to take home their own gator hat. That was a hit.

Everyone seemed to love the decorations and the whole idea of surprising a 7 year old! I heard several other kids tell their parents that now THEY wanted a surprise birthday party.  I'm just glad it is DONE! But I'm mostly glad that we actually pulled off the surprise (thank you Paw Paw) and that Noah loved his party.

Noah's 7th Birthday SURPRISE Party

Gators, gators everywhere! Gators were the party theme this year!

Noah's 7th Surprise Birthday Invitation

Here it is! The invitation to Noah's 7th birthday party...his SURPRISE birthday party!