Experience has taught me well: Peter's 50th Surprised Birthday Party

One of the photos which I have picked out of Peter was when he was a baby and following up his growing ages throughout the years till he's holding his son in his hand right after the birth.

It was a cold full snowy winter. My husband, Peter turns 50 on the 18th December 2009, Friday.It took me several weeks, I could say more than a month to have full speed organized for his surprised party.
First of all, it turn out very well. I am very pleased.
Peter was so surprised, happy and was very touch when he walked in. It was a moment of surprised and sentimental mixed feeling for him.
I gave my special thankful to these people who have helped me out to make this surprised party possible;

Per Ankarlou and Anna Ankarlou
Walter Ankarlou and Lilit Ankarlou
Jonas Törnquist
Aida Nilsson
Maria Parent and Rod Parent

My two wonderful daughter's, Elrener and Veldiner who have helped me from day to day basis and even on the actual day, pushing the big trolley full of all different kind of glasses, plates and pulling it all the way in this nasty snowy weather when we cannot get any transport there.

Here the story goes, weeks before his birthday, I have started sending out invitation to all his friends and relative trying to get confirmation. Turns out well. Most replied with either yes or no. Then my plan goes on.

Trying to look for the venue. That was not easy as Christmas is just around the corner and most restaurant are fully booked for christmas dinner and private function. If there is a venue available, the venue price just shoot high rocket high.
Almost 3 weeks before his party, I get very desperate, stressed and felt helpless after searching, writing and calling to so many places and not being able to get one place confirmed.

My next step was to write to all the friends I knew here for help. My head line in the email to all my friends here was, "NEED HELP DESPERATELY." All of them replied very promptly and different help to serach for venue was immediately supported. I have several choices in the end.

Maria Parent was one of them who offered to help and she had a nice centralized venue which the party was taken place in the end. Thanks Maria if someday you should ever read this. It was such a relieved when she offered me this place. Without hesitation, I straight away agreed and asked her to confirmed the place.

Two weeks before the surprised party, I met a good friend of mine Walter who offered to help me with the catering. I bought Gabriel with me as we were supposed to go and watch movie, "UP" together after that. At first I am afraid he would somehow blurred out the secret to daddy but he was very secretive and have kept his words. He did not say a word to daddy about the surprise party until the day when the daddy got in to the place. I love him but I bride him to keep this secret with n exchange of a nice toys in the end. "It works"... lol

At 9.45 am in the morning, I was already there meeting Rod who gave me the keys to the venue. Shortly after came Jonas and Matz who delivered all the cases of wine, beers and champagne. I rush home again to prepare for some of the dishes that I need to cook for the night (but I never made it in the end as I have no time). Met my good friend Anna not long after who just arrived the night before to Stockholm at almost 1am to help me out with the decoration of the place. She have bought along with her all the decoration for the place; flowers, candles, cakes, table cloth, lighting and many more. Thanks Anna, I love you.....and I know you were very sick the day after and cannot get up with all the torture of the work that day. To be honest, I felt the same the next day when I went to bed at 4.30 in the morning and and I set an alarm to get up at 8 so I could go back to clean after the party. It was hell with my head, eyes and body to take more of the work but I just have to finished up once and for all. My 2 lovely girls help me out though. I woke them up at 8 and without any shower and sleepy eyes, we put on clothes and just rushed out to the place to clean them up. Got back at almost 11, I just went to bed straight away again. I felt dead for many hours.

I woke up with several phone call coming in during my sleep but I never picked any of those call. Eventually Peter came in at almost 2.15pm and told me that we should be at one of his friends house who was there last night for his 50th party as he is also having a gathering for his own 50th party at 15.00, I have to excused myself. No way i can make it to any more party that day. Somehow, Peter took a quick shower and went with his brother to his friend's 50th birthday.

Here are photos of the lovely, well successful 50th Birthday party for my beloved husband Peter Törnquist. I love you and with the milestone of his life that he have passed through, I wish and prayed for more wonderful and successful life to you and us, as a family. In regards to all that we have been through, I wish that you will always be surrounded by many wonderful caring and thoughtful family and friends all your life.

Before the party started. Gabriel came over after his school just to see his mummy trying to finishing up the last decoration before all the guests started coming at 7:00

We arrived shortly after all guests are there. Peter was shocked, happy, very touch and speechless for a moment. Tears of happiness came from him shortly after.

It was where when he steps in, everyone started to sing for him a Birthday song.

Look at the happy people faces who are so looking forward to the surprise party.

Peter went around to each guests feeling so delighted.

He gave a few small speech of thank you and little history of the past to couple of his friends whom he had known for many many years.

Per lighted up the candles on the cake for the guests of honor to start his silence wish before blowing off the candles.

These are last few group of people who actually left behind after everyone left at almost around 1.00 in the morning.

We stayed till almost 4 in the morning.

Aida and her husband Bengt, Anna and Per, stayed behind to help us cleared away the balance into a taxi so we would not have so much to clean the next morning.