This past Friday...March 9th...was our 10th wedding Anniversary!
Our actual anniversary date was spent with our littles. We exchanged gifts together...
...and many cards were exchanged between the 2 of us...
...Wyatt gave us a card...
...and even Beatrice gave us a card! (I am on the left, and Rick is on the right...Beatrice explained that the "^^^^^^^^^" on top, reads, "Happy Anniversary")...
Wyatt wanted to take a picture of the happy couple (he'll give any excuse to have permission to operate the camera...and in this case, "Permission Granted!", hahahaha!)...
We then cashed in on a giftcard that was given to us at Christmas, and took the kids out for a celebratory lunch to the Cheesecake Factory! We were all looking forward to this one!
As expected, dessert was definitely the highlight of that meal...chocolate cake layered with coconut pecan icing, brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake, and chocolate ganache...YUM!...
It was such a wonderful day spent as a family, truly appreciating everything that has been given to us over the past 10 years...our life...our littles.
On Saturday morning, we packed overnight bags for the kids...and for ourselves. But we did not share similar destinations! :0)
Auntie Jenni and Uncle Desmon were hosting our kiddos, while Rick and I got to spend the next 48+ hours alone...SOOO exciting!!!
I had made the reservations a few months ago, and we have been eagerly awaiting this weekend ever since! When we decided to stay at hotel for our Anniversary weekend, it was a no-brainer for me as to where we would be staying.
The US Grant Hotel, downtown, holds a special place in my heart with regard to our relationship. I have loved this hotel for years...even before I knew Rick. I just think it's stunning. And it truly
is the most luxurious hotel downtown. When we were engaged, this was the location we were planning to be married at. But to make a long story short...we skipped the big wedding whoop-la, and eloped instead. When I was pregnant with our first born, Wyatt, my mom and my sisters gave me the most extravagantly beautiful baby shower in the Crystal Room at this hotel. I was one blessed mama! So again, THIS is where we were staying for our 10 year anniversary!
In the weeks leading up to this event, every time when I would attend a fitness class, and in the heat of the most difficult breaking point of that class, the instructor would always say, "I know this is hard, but go.to.your.happy.place!!!" My "happy place" was always a vision of what this anniversary weekend would entail. During the grueling push and pull of Spin class, I always found peace when I imagined Rick and I relaxing in a beautiful...sparkling clean...quiet...hotel room. And during the struggle of my Sports Conditioning class, I would dwell on us casually walking the streets of the Gaslamp District...hand in hand...browsing through the shops...stopping for an ice cream...laughing together...the sun on our faces. Seriously, I have thought, and thought, and thought about this weekend a lot! :0)
After dropping off the kids at my sister's house on Saturday morning, we headed downtown. We arrived at our beautiful (I can't say it enough) hotel, and checked in...
As expected, our room wasn't ready yet, but that didn't really matter...I was running the San Diego Half Marathon the next morning, and so on Saturday, we needed to go to the race expo at Petco Park to pick up my race packet. This was the perfect time to get that done and out of the way.
Never once did I fantasize about the walk to Petco Park with my husband. And there was probably good reason as to why my brain never went
there. Yikes. My poor hunny isn't as physically active as I am, and his idea of "fun" does not include walking 3/4 mile to a ball park, only to be pushing through massive crowds of runners and sales people. Our "peaceful" and romantic vacation was not off to a good start. He literally acquired blisters on his feet, and some minor chafing between his legs. I felt awful. :0/
Luckily, our trek back to the hotel, included a pit-stop halfway through...for lunch...at
Hodad's! Our only condition on this stay-cation was to dine only at restaurants we have never been to before. And after so many positive reviews, we were SO EXCITED to eat a burger at Hodad's! Rick got a bacon cheese burger, and I had the mini cheese burger...
Oh, and we shared a half order (CRAZY!) of frings too...they were so good, but we barely made a dent in them!
During lunch, my hunny was feeling much better, lol, AND we got a call from the hotel that our room was ready...PERFECT timing! :0)
We went straight there...and made ourselves at home...
We had a beautiful room, with a BEAUTIFUL view!...
Between lunch at Hodad's and the box of Sees Candy that my sister had gifted to us, our bellies were full for the rest of the day and night! There was no need to leave our hotel room. :0)
We had such a sweet time together.
Until we were woken up by children playfully screaming in the rooms on BOTH sides of us! This screaming...and literal bouncing off of the walls went on for hours! :0(
We were so irritated. :0(
Shortly after midnight, it was
All Quiet on the Western Front.
I was up and at 'em at 6am for my race (see previous blog post), and luckily for my hunny...and his sore muscles...and our disrupted sleep...he got to sleep-in for a few more hours while I was gone. :0)
And by 10am, after just running a half marathon, I was back at the hotel room, and now we were on the same playing field...we were both sore...and we were both starving! After a shower, we rallied, and headed out for brunch! :0)
We walked to a very quaint...very delicious...
Cafe Chloe!
We each had our own
bowl of hot chocolate with the most incredible vanilla bean whip cream...
...and we shared the Macaroni Pancetta Gratin...
Oh my word was that food so good!!!
After Sunday brunch, we walked to Horton Plaza, and just walked around the mall for a couple of hours. We bought the kids a couple of souvenirs, and then headed back to the hotel.
Who gets to take a nap at 3pm!? We do/did! That's what you can do when you don't have little ones needing your attention...and your mind is so at peace...that you can let your tired body actually drift off into sleep slumber. :0)
After our late nap, it was time to get beautified for our dinner reservation. I love everything about the process of getting dressed up. :0)
Because we hadn't eaten since brunch, we were VERY EXCITED about dinner! ;0) We were gifted a dining experience at
Morton's.
We had such an amazing time at this restaurant! The service was perfection, and their attention to our special occasion was so thoughtful!!!...
We each started off with a cocktail...
...and shared the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake...
...we also shared the Classic Wedge Salad (always a fave of mine!)...
...and shared our main entree, consisting of Filet Mignon, 3 Jumbo Shrimp, 2 Scallops Wrapped in Bacon, Steamed Asparagus, and (not pictured) Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes...
The food was out of this world delicious! I have had the opportunity to eat at many fine restaurants (Donovans, Mr. A's, etc.), and putting aside traveling all of the way to Savannah, GA so you could eat at Elizabeth's on 37th, this meal at Morton's was the very best I have ever had!
After dinner, they brought us their Hot Chocolate Cake FILLED with tons of Godiva chocolate, and delicious Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream on the side...
(Yeah, my stomach is officially growling as I am remembering how amazing everything was!)
After dinner, we went back to the hotel for our final night of stay-cation. Fortunately, the kids that had sandwiched us in our room, were MUCH quieter this night, and we barely heard them at all! :0)
On Monday, we woke up and got to watch a bit of the Today Show in bed before we got up for the day...that never happens in "real life"! After that, we chose not to lounge around too much. We weighed our options, and decided to pack up and go for breakfast earlier than expected, so we would have a few hours at home, alone, before I had to go get the kiddos.
It was sad to leave our beautiful hotel room.
But those thoughts were soon forgotten over breakfast, LOL! Our final meal downtown was at
Richard Walkers Pancake House. A friend had recommended this restaurant to us, and in one of the magazines in our hotel room, there was a segment about this restaurant with a picture of some of their menu items. We could not wait to taste our very own Apple Pancake (with Granny Smith Apples, and Pure Saigon Cinnamon Glaze)...
It was OH.MY.WORD. delicious!!! We shared that, and we shared an order of Potato Pancakes...MMMMMMMMMM...
It was a perfect ending to our downtown adventure.
Even though Saturday started off (well, and with the hotel-kid-factor, even ended) rough, Sunday and Monday more than made up for our slow start, and we both had such a great time! I can't remember the last time I spent so much undivided attention with my husband. It was wonderful! When I went to pick up the kids from my sister's house, I also had to do my new "usual" of watching her kiddos for a few hours while she goes to work, and until Desmon gets home. And during those 3 hours, while I was watching all of the kids, I had this longing to be with Rick. I missed him. As dumb as it sounds, I even got choked up at one point thinking about how much I missed him. (Gag me, I know!)
I am sure at some point this week those emotions will subside. I will get caught up in meal making, Weight Watchers point counting, hustling to the gym...to piano lessons...to dance lessons...to church 3 different times...etc.
But for right now, I'm going to relish the memories in my head, the feelings in my heart, and the slippers that are on my feet...
