60 years of awesomeness: Happy Birthday Mum!

On 28th December 1952, my nan gave birth to my lovely mother which meant that this year we celebrated her 60th birthday. She would KILL me if she realised that I had just announced that to the whole of blog land, but as she does not know I blog - ha! Tough!

My mum is a fairly typical 'mum', and not in a derogatory way. She's selfless, generous, supportive, loving, over-enthusiastic about her children and a role-model. She hates the idea of us spending money on her, being centre of attention and still insists on 'bargain' clothes shopping even now she is not feeding or clothing her adult children. That's her, receiving an award for being an awesome athletics volunteer. I wrote about that here.

 

As she threatened to run away if we arranged a party for her, told her friends or 'made a fuss', it was quite difficult thinking of presents, arrangements or what she would actually like. I'm going to take credit now for quite a few of these ideas and as my dad doesn't know I blog either, I am pretty certain there won't be much contradiction!

 

60th birthdays should be celebrated with diamonds. (If you ask Andi, I think everything should be celebrated with diamonds....yet remain diamond less.) For a lady who doesn't like expense, this was a challenge. I found some gorgeous silver and diamond earrings in Germany and just bought them....they are simplicity itself. So on hearing I bought the earrings, my dad asked me to find a necklace that would compliment it. I found this in England in a different silver and diamond range. You would think I had pictures of said items. I don't...so moving on.

 

For the day itself, I wanted to avoid the clichéd dinner out, so I suggested a traditional afternoon tea in a fancy hotel near to where we live. We would take my mum there for a surprise, including a subtle balloon bouquet (no age numbers) and her favourite pink flowers. 

(Source)

 (Source)

 There was so much food; we could barely walk out of the library setting afterwards. She enjoyed the surprise. Thank goodness!

Afterwards we went home, where I presented her with the birthday cake I decorated with what are meant to be carnations. I bought some proper icing and cutters. Hours later, I had this and some interesting piping which I wasn't sure afterwards didn't resemble nipples.  The boy was responsible for balancing this in the car over and probably will not be volunteering for this task again. We stuck some sparklers in it for good measure.

Am evening of card games, a throw-it-together buffet dinner ensued and my mum enjoyed a birthday with her family, in a way that seemed to strike the correct balance of 'fuss'.

What do you like to do with your mum on her birthday?