We spent the past week back at Callaway Gardens with the whole family to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday… 4 months early! My sister and I have been planning the big surprise for months and I was so nervous she was going to find out, but excited for a few days with everyone!

We drove over to Georgia Saturday morning with a stop to see my grandma on the way.  The plan was to surprise her at our favorite Mexican restaurant, San Marcos. Everyone was there on time and in our matching “I’m with Pegs” shirts and we waited on her to arrive with my aunt and her friend.

When she walked back, the look on her face was PRICELESS.  She was confused, then slowly realized what was happening and some happy tears came! We gave her her special shirt, then enjoyed margaritas together. After dinner, we headed back to her place to check out the renovations (that happened to finish that week, phew) and then over to the Ironwood Lounge for fireworks, drinks and live music.

Sunday morning a few groups were playing golf and I brought my grandma down for lunch with everyone and then we headed to the afternoon circus to see it for the first time in years.

During the 13 years of our family going to Callaway each year for the Summer Family Adventure program, we always started the week with a big family dinner and the menu basically stayed the same.  Since we were all back together, Sunday night we made our traditional Callaway dinner complete with ham, hash brown casserole and a delicious peach cobbler at mom’s house. Monday morning a group of us did a hike on the Pine Mountain trails while others played golf.  We all enjoyed the new pool & cabana bar at the Lodge that afternoon.  They have done a TON of renovations at the Lodge and the new pool area and easy access to Lake Robin were a huge improvement. Also, the mango margaritas were delicious! Monday’s dinner was at the Country Kitchen and complete with all the Southern goodness we could eat and some family photos across the street afterwards. Tuesday morning the guys had a golf scramble, while us girls enjoyed a morning at the spa! I hadn’t gotten a massage since our honeymoon and I realllllly enjoyed this one.  A few others in the group hadn’t been to the spa before, so the experts helped us out.  We enjoyed the afternoon in the neighborhood pool before having a BBQ dinner at mom’s and watching the firework extravaganza down at the lake. Wednesday morning we all headed our separate ways and it’s back to work..  We had such a great time together and I’m so glad the surprise was a success!  It was the first time the big group had been together at Callaway in years and I enjoyed doing some more “adult” things with everyone.  Until next time..