FUN weekend!!!

Linda's 50th Surprise Birthday Party Weekend started with a trip to BILLADELPHIA'S (restaurant review here) with the Bush family (full story here), where you can get real Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks on Amoroso rolls...with birch beer...

...and Italian water ices (WAAAY better than snow cones)...

...and TASTYKAKES!!! The HOLY GRAIL of Pennsylvania cuisine!!!

They were out of my favorite, Koffee Kakes. (Yes, that's how they spell it...quit rolling your eyes.) I usually wouldn't tolerate such spelling tomfoolery, but these are a blast from the past!

In fact, Koffee Kakes are so amazing, it wouldn't matter if they called them "Cough-y Kakes."
I would gladly purchase them by the shopping cart. Or kart.

The karnage...a pizza steak wrapper, a Kandy Kakes sleeve--and a smile. :-)

Dan looked so content! They must be sneaking something narcotic into those Krimpets.

Then it was off to Plano to attend Linda's surprise party. (The Hostesses with the Mostest pose for a photo above.) We had a lot of fun getting to know each other and put faces to names while we waited for the birthday girl. Anne even got to hug old family friends!

Finally, after a few false alarms, the birthday girl arrived. Jessica answered the door, and the look on Linda's face when I stepped around the corner was one of pure puzzlement...and then everyone yelled "SURPRISE!"...and she finally realized what was going on!

Hugs all around!

Linda's baby picture, matted and awaiting notes from all the party goers.
(What a great idea, Anne!)

We laughed (and snapped pictures) ALL NIGHT LONG.

Professor McGonagall in the house!

Anne made the COOLEST movie, all about Linda's Favorite Things, plus a trivia quiz about the year 1959. (Seems like Linda actually *shares* a birthday with some of her favorite things, like Barbie, Alan Rickman, and Simon Cowell.) You heard right. She loves Simon Cowell. There's no accounting for taste...

CAKE!

Her gifts from the Abilene gang? English "biscuits" and tea...and
Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Staying up and talking with Falisha until 1:00 in the morning...
and still making it to church ON TIME!!

And finally, taking time to thank God for such wonderful friends, great food, and safe travels. I was able to stop at Central Market on the way home, get Karen two pounds of Seltzer's sweet Lebanon bologna, and still get the church bulletin printed on time!

The bushes outside Falisha's church were COVERED IN BUTTERFLIES this morning...
what a glorious way to start a Sunday...hope your weekend was wonderful, too!