This month has been a big month around here for us. We finished the holidays and then had two birthdays back-to-back in our little family going into January. Kenzy turned nine, which I had shared about a few weeks back, and my hubby turned FORTY a week later!

When he turned thirty, I surprised him with a pretty big party at our cabin in Blossburg. His birthday is hard because it’s in January, so I had to get creative. I ended up throwing his party the September before his birthday. I had put balloons up the cabin road, so people knew where to go, and he commented that someone must be having a party on our way up the mountain. I had “30” signs in the yard as we pulled into the cabin. His response? “Who the hell is turning thirty!?”

It wasn’t until we pulled up and he started to see all the cars when it hit him that I pulled a fast one on him. It was a pretty epic party. I had a big candy bar with all 80’s themed candy, all his favorite foods, and a huge surprise waited for him. I had around sixty people there, and most of them knew the surprise that awaited him. I think my brother was even more excited than I was as he helped me go pick up this surprise.

We had to wait for the right time, but it was a perfect fall day. We were all standing out in front of the cabin. Folks were on the porch and gathered around the front yard. My brother asked, “Sis, do you want me to go get it now?” It seemed like it was a perfect time, and we were both so excited to give it to him.

My brother had hidden his surprise out in the woods. We could hardly wait! Chris stood there talking to his buddies as I picked up my camera and started to record on my phone. I could hear him coming. I watched Chris to see if he would notice. It only took a few seconds, and suddenly, I saw him look up at the trail toward the woods. Here came my brother and two other four-wheelers. Luke pulled right up near him on this beautiful blue Kawasaki Brute Force with a big red bow that had a real throaty sound to it. You could hear it coming. A four-wheeler he had talked about for months now and wanted one so badly. I worked all summer saving my pennies to surprise him for his thirtieth birthday. I could hardly wait, and the moment was here. The look on his face of shock and surprise was worth every hour I worked that summer babysitting.

Chris just looked at me shaking his head with the biggest smile.

“Where did you find it!?” he asked.

I just laughed and said, “Happy Birthday, honey, from Tyler and me!”

Everyone started cheering and clapping as he just stood there in shock.

“Aren’t you going to go over and look at it!?” I asked.

He was literally speechless. He walked over to check it out and couldn’t stop smiling.

This man deserved it and more. I was so happy I could do it for him! It was a day we will never forget and spent the rest of the weekend riding around on his new four-wheeler while we stayed at the cabin for the weekend.

So, this man knows his wife doesn’t play around. He knows I will not let a birthday like the big 4-0 slip by with no celebration. He kept telling me for months, “Babe, I don’t need or want a party.” Blah, blah, blah. Does he really think I am going to listen? Parties are my thang!

I had already thought about what I could do. I knew it was going to have to be done in the spring. I talked to one of my best friends, Joe, about having it up at our river lot, but would definitely need help setting things up for the amount of people who would be there. Joe didn’t mind at all and said he would help in any way he could. He’s been an amazing river lot partner, and we are used to hosting parties together. I also had the idea of having the party up at our cabin in Salladasburg. My mom’s side of the family’s cabin that has a big pavilion with tons of tables just ready for large parties like this. I thought, “Well, I have tons of time to decide; spring is still four months away.”

Until one Sunday afternoon, it hit me, and I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do.

It was PERFECT! I went to the phone, dialed my brother’s number, and told him my idea.

“Sis, he will love it! Let’s do it,” he said.

Now you will have to wait till next week to find out the ending. *wink wink*

Tasty Turkey & Veggie Dinner

Ingredients:
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup good quality tomato sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 can of Rotel
• 1 -2 tsp salt (to your liking)
• 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies

Directions:

Start cooking the ground turkey and small onion in a large pot. Once the turkey is almost cooked through, add the garlic and finish cooking the turkey. Add the can of Rotel, sauce, ketchup and salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the frozen veggies. Continue to simmer until veggies are hot. I made garlic couscous and piled this on top of it. My teenager got seconds! Family approved. Enjoy!

My stepdad Mark Metzger turned sixty first, being his birthday is the first week of January, but he didn’t want to celebrate.