Anxiety filled 40!

Yes people...I wrote "anxiety" with turning 40!  When Oprah was having her surprise guest season finale Tom Hanks joked with her that they wanted to see how much she could take until she couldn't take it anymore! She was surprised left and right! Well, on a much smaller scale, I had the same experience this weekend.

Let me start from the beginning - two months ago, Bart had asked if he could talk to me and he was pretty emotional as he said that there was no way he could do anything amazing for my 40th because the business had just sold and he would be traveling like crazy! I told him that was totally fine {which was a big fat lie} because I really wanted to go somewhere special or do something different when I reached the big 4-0!

But...I understood!

Meanwhile, he was doing some lying of his own because he had sent out evites for a surprise party and as my friends put it, "he emailed us almost daily about the party plans!" It was the most amazing birthday and surprise party ever!

On my actual birthday, Bart flew home from Mexico and we were off to go to the movies, eat dinner at Flemmings and stay at the La Jolla Hyatt. That alone, was cause for celebration. I was pampered with a spray tan and a haricut and style. Bart called it my day of pampering! As we headed home to get the kids, Bart told me to go shopping at the mall [you don't have to tell me  twice] and he would take care of the kids.

While I was at the mall, Bart called and said that he needed my car keys to get something out of the car that he was going to take down to the office. So...he met me inside the mall and grabbed my keys. Weird, right? Well, it was all part of his master plan, as who would be with him, but my very best friend Cheryl all the way from Arizona!

I was at a loss for words and seriously almost passed out! We had always been "Big" talkers about being together to celebrate our birthdays but we knew it would never happen as she has six kids and lives far away and our lives are crazy! I was thrilled to see her and it really made my birthday special!  We spent time shopping, talking and catching up.

When we got back home, Bart told me that we would be going out to dinner that night so we should get ready. Plus. an important part that I almost forgot, I had received a phone call telling me that the stake president wanted to meet with Bart and I that night at the church. Talk about making my stomach hurt! I was so nervous wondering what new callings were in store. UUGGHHH!!!

So...we got ready, made our way to the church building and...well....you can see for yourself how the rest of the night went!!!! All I can say is UH-MAZING!!! Bart did it right and I still have no idea how he pulled it off! I am positive that it wouldn't have happened without the help of some truly great friends and family!

When I walked in, I literally could not breathe I was so overwhelmed by what I saw - crazy beautiful decorations, people that I hadn't seen in years, and instant anxiety like I have never experienced! {Believe me I deleted so many ugly face surprise looks I had going on!}

Thanks to Damon Afualo for getting the best pictures that night! 

He knows how I am about the camera and getting the shots!

Look at these faces! Pure shock! 

After the initial shock of it all, I couldn't wait to talk and hug and catch up with everyone!

Friends came from all over - Utah, New Mexico, Orange county and Arizona! 

While I was busy hugging and laughing and picture taking....I was also freaking out over how beautiful the place looked....that and I realized that I totally matched the plates, napkins and sugar cookies!

I am glad though, that I got dressed up - at my 35th birthday I walked in looking like I was a local merchant of Walmart!

The cultural Hall was literally transformed and it looked like a scene from Anthropology! Simply amazing! My girls know how to decorate and they pay attention to every detail!

The eating tables and the tables around the room were splattered with pictures of me everywhere! 

It was a little obscene! But, I love how Bart found pictures of me with almost everyone that was there that night!

 This was where the dinner was served and Taco Man can never disappoint! I sadly did not partake as I was way too busy socializing! No surprise there!

 I.Love.All.These.People!!!

After dinner, Bart had yet another surprise with a video he had made {who knows when or how he had time} of me with family and friends!  It was so sweet!

 Dessert time was also out of this world {now I did partake of this  and than some!} Cara not only put together this gorgeous ice cream bar....

My sweet mom did a lot behind the scenes!

 Cara also spent hours making this cake! Funny story with the cake - I had showed it to Bart and told him I wanted this cake and I may have even threatened to blog about it and see if there were any takers to make me one! He said that was borderline crazy, but he remembered it and asked the professional {my bestie Cara} if she wanted to take it on!  

She said yes and we are all so glad she did!

De-lish!!!

My other bestie Gigi made the homemade sugar cookies for my party favors! Funny story with that is that she made a gazillion and if you can see all the colors and the fondant she had to work with - needless to say, she told me that there were some swear words involved as she labored over those beauties! I can only imagine - but I am so glad you made them! They were beautiful!!!

Now just feast your eyes on the table and decorations they were surrounded by! Can you believe it? I was in awe!!! Seriously!

 The DJ was another hit - gladly I can say, there weren't many pictures of that part of the night!

Thank you to everybody for the best night EVER!!! I relive it over and over and over!

One other thing that Bart did was ask everyone to write something and send it to him which he than had Cara put together in a book for me! It is the sweetest most wonderful present I have ever received - I want it read at my funeral! 

Someone wrote I live my life in exclamation points - could not sum me up any better that that!

I am blessed and 40 looks great from here!