Surprise Golden Birthday Party

I LOVE celebrating my kids' GOLDEN BIRTHDAYS.  It just adds one more fun addition to an already special day.  I wanted to make Hadley's birthday even more exciting by making it a surprise party.  Hadley had been grouchy all week and especially on her birthday because she thought I hadn't planned anything fun for her this year.  I seriously had to almost force her in the car to get her to her own surprise birthday party.  We went to the dollar store to get some treats for the party (she thought she was looking for treats to take to her cousin's surprise party that night) and she sulked as she walked around the store.  Did she really think her mom would forget her golden birthday? 

14 years old on the 14th!

Every golden birthday should start with dinner at the GOLDEN ARCHES.  Hadley was so surprised (and so happy) when she walked into McDonalds and saw all of her friends inside the restaurant (does McD's qualify as a restaurant?) waiting for her!  

After dinner we headed down to the hotel to start the celebrating and get settled into our hotel room.  I had gone to the hotel earlier in the day and decorated the room all in gold.  I had 14 GOLDEN BALLOONS with a picture attached to each balloon from each year of her life.  The girls got so excited when they walked into the room and couldn't stop talking about how cute all of the gold decorations and balloons with pictures were.  It definitely made Hadley feel loved and celebrated! 

We sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girl, ate a little cake and then got ready for the activities.

Swimming

Manicures and Pedicures with GOLD fingernail polish as one of the options.

Lots of Games

And birthday gift opening at midnight.  14 golden gifts! 

(One birthday guest wasn't able to stay up late enough to see the gift opening)

1. Golden willow tree figure

2. Gold sunglasses

3. Gold sandals

4. Gold necklace

5. Gold Alex and Ani "H" bracelet

6. Gold fingernail polish

7. Swimsuit (not gold but wrapped in gold paper)

8.  Gold electric toothbrush

9. Novel, Golden

10.  Rose Gold Watch

11.  St. Patrick's Gold 4 Leaf clover tank

12. Gold belt

13. Gold eye shadow

14. Joggers

We were barely able to wake up in time for our free hotel breakfast.  I avoided eye contact with the other hotel guests, hoping they wouldn't realize we were the loud room that kept them awake all night.  Oops.

Then it was time to check out of the hotel and head home.  The surprise party was a success and Hadley definitely felt loved and golden on her special day!  Happy 14th Birthday to this amazing teenager!  She is so loved!