33.5

I had a little surprise date for Ryan this week. I was working on it SO HARD before we got engaged - having, of course, no idea I would be getting engaged, and then I felt like I really slacked off with the planning after that! But I managed to get it all put together JUST in time...to celebrate his 33 1/2 birthday! (We weren't dating on his birthday, so I missed the chance to celebrate on time. I figured the 6 month mark was as good a time as any.)

 

Lucked out and found this shirt at Cato while shopping for something else...so I got that for my party attire.

 The gift room. I blew up 33 balloons and filled them with slips of paper. More on that later...but each slip of paper had a gift of some sort on it.

 Dinner was a fire pit ordeal. And I do mean ordeal. I had this planned before our impromptu fire pit date on Sunday. Promise. I set the patio table with all our food...

 ...which included candles embedded in Reese's pumpkins. (He loves Reese's.)

 In lieu of a cake - s'mores!! Our choice of regular or chocolate grahams and Reese's pumpkins or regular chocolate bars. Mixed it up a bit!!!

 A bottle of sparkling grape juice I purchased on my vacation to the Biltmore this summer. Been saving it for a special occasion.

 When he arrived after work, I met him at his car with a birthday card that explained the reason for our special date.

 And then I "built a fire." This was LITERALLY the only minute it had a flame. Boy aren't I glad I captured it in a photo!?!?!

 So then Ryan tried. And tried. And tried. I think we had defective wood. He finally went to the store for more lighter fluid and got the fire going. Poor guy. Had to build his own birthday fire.

 Roasting hot dogs, baby!!

 I sang and everything. And apparently he still loves me!!

 Roasting marshmallows. THOSE I caught on fire when it was my turn. Seriously? I can't build a fire but I can catch the food on fire? Sigh.

 My chocolate graham/Reese cup s'more.

 And then it was present time!!! He really liked popping open all the balloons. Braeya? Not so much. She didn't care for that activity. Most of the balloons contained verses I'd printed out...verses from A-Z I've been praying for my husband for many years - without having any idea who he was. I loved hearing him read them all. Some balloons had directions - like to dance to a song I'd picked out. Stuff like that. It was a lot of fun!

 And some balloons had directions to open the pile-o-presents behind him. In this present? K-cups. :)

 A little box to hold the stash of cards and notes I'm always giving him. I figure if I create clutter, I should offer a space to contain it.

 The aftermath.

We both loved that evening. It was so much fun! He loved the surprise and I got the biggest blessing out of watching his face as he opened every balloon. Thank you, Pinterest, for the inspiration! :)