Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

On, April 11, 2010, a balmy, Sunday in St. Petersburg, FL at the Nature Trail Preserve Oak Hall a mother gave her daughter the surprise of a life time. This was the perfect backdrop for Betty H. to surprise her daughter, Sofia F. Everyone was aware of the surprise and governed themselves accordingly.

How did she do it? Historically, Betty H. has an annual birthday gala, all of which are themed and scrumptious food is always prepared by her daughter, an awesome caterer. For months after each of Betty's birthday celebrations the guest are still discussing the event with their family and friends and anyone else that will listen. Every year the party is just that awesome. This year Betty thought it not robbery to pay honor to her daughter on her birthday. Sofia's birthday is in December so definitely she would not suspect a thing.

Family and friends were a little worried that they had not received their invite to Betty's party since the birthday celebration is usually held in March of each year. That was all a part of the plan. Betty wanted to wait for a picture perfect day where the weather would be postcard ordered and that's exactly what we had.

Picture it, a carnival set in a clearing in a field of lush green foliage, guest dressed in carnival attire (jeans and white shirts / plaid shirts and the like), the air smelling of hot buttered popcorn and southern fried fish, visions of children playing games while some nibbled on kosher dills on a stick and juicy red candy apples, while the parents ate perfectly parched peanuts and drnnk gallons of sweet tea and freshly blended fruit smoothies. If you can imagine such an image, then you too could have been at this party. Don't think that the food just described was the menu. Not!

The menu was a sundry of carnival food especially prepared by the guest of honor which included, Country grits with butter, cheesy macaroni and cheese, brown sugar and molasses baked beans, creamy cole slaw, grilled bar-b-que chicken, sliced bread and pillow rolls. The desserts would have baffled the best pastry chef, Golden pound cake, fresh peach cobbler, delightful red velvet cake and the sweet morsels of a hummingbird cake. Now I might have missed a couple of items but surely you have the idea.

Each guest had been fore warned to bring a gift for Sofia that she could use in her catering business; and that they did. As the surprise unfolded, as Betty prepared to thank her guest for their attendance, she brought out everyone in her family to thank them for their participation in making the celebration a success. As everyone awaited Betty's last sentence, that's when she sprung the surprise on Sofia by asking everyone to sing Happy Birthday to Sofia. As Sofia looked around in amazement she couldn't believe she had prepared all the food for her own party and that ALL the gifts were for her. It was quite the shocker for her. Once she was convinced, off came the apron.

Needless to say, the party was a huge success and both friends of Betty and Sofia were present to help celebrate and enjoy a wonderfully planned birthday celebration that was held on a balmy Sunday afternoon on April 11, 2010.

See additional photos of this spectacular party below.