HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Dad's 80th birthday was April 29, and Nicki and I were fortunate enough to be able to be there together and celebrate with him. It was 2 days of celebrating! It all came and went so fast! She flew to St. Louis from Denver on Monday the 26th, and I picked her up and brought her down here to visit Mom. Mom had no idea Nicki was coming. We managed to surprise her! :) Nicki spent the night with me that night, and the next morning Mom came over. We had Nicki sit in my computer chair, with her back to the door. When Mom came in, I yelled for her to come on back. I was hiding in my bedroom, and peeked out the door to watch Mom as Nicki turned around in my chair in my computer room. Mom screamed and was pleasantly shocked and surprised! :) She's fun to do surprises for! :) So we all spent Tues. and Wed. together, then Nicki and I left out early Thursday morning and headed up to IA. The trip went pretty fast. But about 3 hours or so out of the Quad Cities, Nicki decided we needed to write Dad a birthday song, so we did! It turned out pretty good, too. We sang it to him at Harris Pizza! lol So we get the song finished just before we hit the QC and then made our way to Duck Creek Plaza to get him a wallet--his old one was absolutely falling apart--and a chocolate pie and peanut butter cookies. I think he liked the cookies the best! lol After that, we checked in at the motel, and then went to meet Dad at his favorite bar. Dad's friends, Mike and Renee, got there at the same time we did, so we went in with them, had a few drinks--Diet Coke for me!--and then went to Harris Pizza! Mike and Renee treated us all for Dad's birthday present from them. After that, it was back to the bar! They had cake, gifts, cards and balloons for him. What a deal! :) The next day it was more partying. Nicki and I held him off as long as we could, then we finally arrived at the bar. They had it decorated for him, and some finger food and a full night of birthday well-wishers. He was almost like the Godfather!lol Everyone kept coming up to him. I mostly sat across from him, and when I finally did go and sit next to him, I had to move because of everyone--young and old alike--coming up to wish him happy birthday! lol We had to head out the next day, and take Nicki back to the St. Louis airport. It was a 5 hour ride, but we got there in plenty enough time for her to make her flight. I spent the next day or so taking it easy--that was a lot of ground we covered in a short amount of time, and I'm no spring chicken! lol


I think Dad had a great time, tho. Now what are we going to do for him when he turns 90?! lol