Happy Birthday, Ed

It’s not often I am successful in pulling off a surprise birthday party, but I actually did it for Ed / Dad / Grandpa on New Years Day.  I had sent out a Smilebox invitation (if you haven’t tried Smilebox . . . run, don’t walk to your computer.  It’s such a great little program!!!) to all our friends, neighbors and family members, then needed a diversion to get him out of here on Tuesday morning so I could get ready.  The diversion came in the form of Rilee Welch who has been with Rick and Stacy during the Christmas holidays / school break, but needed to be driven back to Fillmore to meet up with her mother.  “Since Rick has helped us with so many of our little projects around the house, you’d be paying him back by driving Rilee up to Fillmore,” I reasoned with Ed.  He agreed.  He left at 7 a.m. for the 5 hour roundtrip, arriving back home just 5 minutes before the party was supposed to start.  It was a lovely day with visits from lots of friends and family . . . and, best of all, we got rid of most of our holiday goodies (the Must-Goes in our fridge)!  Thanks to Rick and Stacy for playing along and for all who came by to wish the “old man” a happy birthday.