A surprise birthday in el jardin.
Through the ups and downs, there has been a constant in my life: my mom. She’s my rock, my guiding light, my best friend, and I SIMPLY love her so much. On her birthday last year, I wanted her to know how much she meant to me, to our family, and to her friends, both new and old. So I did what any baking party planner would do: throw her a surprise garden party for her milestone 65th birthday.
The secret party planning began while we were in the thick of selling our house and learning to raise a two-year-old. For me, getting through challenging times requires something wonderful to look forward to, to plan for, to outweigh all the not so great things. So, I set out to change the narrative and celebrate my mom with an event. I enlisted my dad’s help to bring it to life. It started small, with a nice brunch at home, but I thought “Mom deserves something more wonderful, just like her.”
One of my favorite trips with my family was when we traveled around Andalusia in Spain when I was 18 years old. My most vivid memory from that trip was walking through the gardens of the Alhambra with my mom. I felt like in that one moment, our relationship grew from being mother and daughter to being friend and friend. We walked arm in arm, looking at the beautiful Moorish architecture, talking through the whole visit. I felt like I was no longer talking to my mom, but my best friend. Amidst the beautiful scenery of the Alhambra, a beautiful relationship blossomed between me and her.
Our trip to Spain was my inspiration for her special day. The two tiered fresh lemon cake evoked the colorful Spanish tiles that we saw in the architecture. And the flowers brought a cheery, vibrant feel to the whole event. We hosted the luncheon at the gorgeous Arroyo Trabuco Golf Course in Mission Viejo, CA, and reserved a table during their delicious Sunday buffet brunch. The minute she walked in and heard her friends say “surprise!” was the best feeling ever. The look on her face was priceless, and a memory in itself that I will always cherish.
