Surprise Number Two

I love the train tracks the run through Alberta City ...

Richard's homecoming wasn't the only surprise of the season.  

On a whim we decided to head down to Alabama and surprise my parents.  

To quote my Daddy, "It was the best Christmas present ever."

We woke up the girls on the 23rd and told them that after breakfast we were going to Gran's house.  Still reeling from the excitement of having their Daddy home, they all just shouted out, "YEAH!!!" and tore out of the kitchen to get dressed.  It was so sweet.  We loaded up and just headed over, having no clue how we were going to surprise them. 

Seriously, when we were about 30 min out, I called my mom and asked her what she was doing.  It was only 10:30 and she is NEVER dressed before then (she just never has the energy to whip it in gear that fast), but that day, of course, she was already up and at em' and on her way to deliver Christmas gifts to friends.  

Okay, change of plans for us. 

We wanted to surprise her and Daddy all at the same time.  So we had to think.  THEN 12 miles out, there was a wreck and traffic came to a complete stand still.  

At least we had some time to come up with a plan.  When we finally got moving again, we decided to call my aunt, who my mom was with, and tell her she had to get momma back home.  My aunt is so funny.  She can't hear at all, but of course we are ll just talking too low:).  Momma answers and I ask if I can speak to Peggy.  "Sure," she says.  They are in Publix and she hands Peggy the phone. 

 "Hello?"

"Hey Peggy!"

"Hey!" 

"Where's Momma?" 

"What?"

"Where's Momma?"

(obviously confused at why I was asking this since I had just spoken with her)

"Oh she's back in the store."

(good, I think ... I didn't want her to hear)

"Well we're almost to her house." 

"Who's house?"

"Momma's.  Don't tell her!  We wanted to surprise her."

"I won't!  She's not around."

and I'm thinking to myself, 

"at this point the entire Publix knows!" :)

To my astonishment, my Momma who seems to sort of always know everything, didn't suspect a thing form that phone call and Peggy was able to remain calm and get Momma home from the store without Momma suspecting a thing.

We waited across the street in the CVS parking lot.  

When I saw them drive up Momma's drive, we headed over.  It was such a sweet surprise!  

Totally what Christmas gifts should be about. 

After we all hugged and laughed

... and the girls completely destroyed Momma's house, that was immaculate, of course, even though she was expecting no one ...

... we headed out to Mellow Mushroom for our standard pizza lunch ...  

 ... we got the booth we always get ...

... then later we headed over to my Uncle Jame's house for a fish fry. 

 SCORE! 

And my cousin and his family were in town, too ... DOUBLE SCORE!!

It was a perfect day.