It's never too late for a SURPRISE!!

Two months ago, Scott had a big birthday.  About a month later, his friend Ryan had a big birthday.  Heidi (Ryan's wife) and I had been plotting a surprise for the two of them.  We started plotting back in May.  We picked a date for the surprise, only to have the Father and Son campout scheduled for the same night.  We picked another date, and an epicenter dance was planned for the same night, we picked another date and so on and so on.  (It's been a busy summer!)  Finally - August came around and we planned for the 4th.   I realized it was exactly two months from Scott's birthday - which I thought was fitting!  But then, my parents ended up going to Reno (my dad was going to smoke some ribs for the party), and a few other things happened, but Heidi and I decided to press on. 

I told Scott we were having a party for Ryan and asked him to smoke some ribs (he had no idea he was smoking them for his own party).  Heidi told Ryan we were having a party for Scott  and asked him to help get Scott over to their house.  Surprisingly enough - it all worked out pretty well!  Scott smoked the ribs, Ryan came over to help him get it all put together and they walked in to the party together, both thinking that it was a surprise party for the other one.  It was great!!  Here they are walking in.  Ryan turned around and yelled surprise to Scott and Scott said "What - it's a surprise for you!"  It was great! 

Here are the brithday boys.  You'd never know they were a day over 30...

It was fun to have a combined party.  Some good friends of ours got to mingle and meet some good friends of the Markowski's.  Then we also had some friends from the ward that knew both of them.  

Here Scott and I are with Jeff and Quyen - our ex-neighbors.  But we still call them great friends!  I was glad they came to help us celebrate! 

 Here I am talking with Scott and Amy Butterfield.  We've known the Butterfield's for over 16 years.  They only live about 20 minutes away, but we don't see them nearly as much as we would like.  It was fun to have them come for the surprise.  The funny thing is that Scott B. and Ryan both worked at Arther Anderson at the same time, and they also knew each other from playing basketball when we were all in the Kirkland Stake.  Small world!

 Here's the boys cuddling as we get ready to sing happy birthday.  I think Ryan looks a little uncomfortable in this picture... 

 Here's a more comfortable picture!

It sure was fun to plan a surprise, and actually pull it off!  (That means I pulled off two surprises for Scott's birthday this year - I'm good!!)  We all got a good laugh over all the stories that were being told at both of our houses over the past couple of months, as dates were picked and then had to be changed.  Scott helped think of ideas of how to get Ryan out of the house, and Ryan helped Heidi come up with ways to get Scott over to their house!  We all had a good laugh!  It was a great way to celebrate two great men - even if it was to celebrate them getting older!  (And, yes - I'm really going to have to watch out when it's my turn to hit the big 4-0 in a couple of years!)