It's a THUNDERSTORM!!!

Thunderstorm definition: Kinda like a bridal shower...called so for a bridal shower celebrating 40 years of marriage...get it? Shower=thunderstorm (just because of all the YEARS involved???)

Ok fine, we made that term up for the shower the Sisterhood threw for Mom. It was all hush-hush as can be. Lai's brilliant idea went off without a hitch, especially as we enlisted the aid of Gigi, who lived in the same village as Mom and Dad. But man, was it hard to keep secrets from dear mother! And poor Gigi, who just came from a retreat, was forced to tell several white lies to mom's face! Hehehehe. Gigi, thank you from the very bottom of our hearts for offering your house and your award-winning performance to get Mom to your house on time!

We had agonized over where to hold Mom's thunderstorm....it was going to be SOOOO obvious if, out of the blue, I'd call Mom and invite her over to my house. She knows I do not entertain, hehehe. It Lai were to do it at her house, it was another light bulb, because Mom know Lai and Dic ALWAYS entertain, so she'd know something was up! See the predicament we were in?!? It is never easy with our mother, I tell you!

But everything went off just perfectly! We had gathered a few close friends and family, and Mom's angels. And yes, we were doing the coed thing so that the boys could enjoy the food as well. We assembled at Gigi's spacious living room to wait for Mom and Gigi to arrive.

This was in the small hallway off of the living room. Mom's angels and the kids were all crammed here....I had kind of forbidden them to stand by the curtains as their shadows might be visible through the corridors when Mom walked through the house.


Such a shame not one of us was able to capture Mom's almost-purse-dropping SHOCKED expression when all of us yelled "SURPRISE"!!! Priceless expression at that, too! It was wonderful timing....everyone waiting for Mom to completely step into the living room from behind a thick column after the doorway. Gigi kept up her small talk, in true Oscar-worthy performance! :) She even turned her back on Mom to turn on the light switches! Mom was TOTALLY CLUELESS as to what lay in store for her!!! *release evil cackle here, bwahahahaha*

We had some risque games and some tame ones, which the kids even joined in (mostly on-paper games). Gasp! Kids and MEN at a shower?!?! It's a thunderstorm, after all, and we're setting the bar on this one :) We did tell the kids that they weren't supposed to be there; however, because it was a Friday and we all had frazzled nerves from trying to figure out drivers, rides, and color-coding cars, it was just easier to have them there to be able to use all the drivers at some point during the day! Sheesh! What a logistical nightmare! And to think this wasn't even the anniversary date yet!!!!

Some pics of the games:

Egg-cracking
Wrap the Eggplant
Banana Sculpting

And this is me losing it, when I saw my dear mother holding that eggplant. Apparently, it was the first time (or one of the FEW times) she had ever held a c.o.n.d.o.m in her hand. And she was grossed out from all the oil.

After the games it was time to open all the gifts and watch Lai's video about Mom. A perfect, touching tribute, and a perfect ending to a perfect evening.

Happy Thunderstorm, Mom, and thank you to everyone who was there!