amazing.weekend

2006-12-04 11:44:04

Hi, everyone!! Thank you all SOOO very kindly for your wonderful comments on the post below! I really appreciate….thank you!! 🙂

Wow…so to the weekend! I have no idea where to begin and I’m already tearing up just thinking about it. It was the MOST magical weekend. I will begin by saying that you will be surprised by where my husband took me! I was surprised, but it could NOT have been ANY more perfect. It was everything that I truly LOVE, everything that TRULY makes me happy and everything that had special meaning for me and for us…..and that what his entire goal. He said he wanted to do every single thing

he could to make me as happy as humanly possible, so he was taking me to my all-time favorite of everything! He’s SOO thoughtful. He planned every single thing to the last detail and not one single aspect was overlooked. He told me he wanted to take me to my favorite city and my favorite restaurants, to do my favorite things and attend my favorite events.

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Every single thing had meaning and was soo well thought out. Ok, I won’t keep you wondering. I knew, when he said it was my favorite place, that we were going nowhere other than INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA!! 🙂

It’s my absolute favorite city in the world and it was the most perfect place to be. We felt comfortable and warm….it was like being at home with all the excitement of being away from home! It was PERFECT….I truly mean that. It all began with us getting ready on Friday. I went to get dressed and found a pile of beautifully wrapped GIFTS (4 total) and a letter on top.

I was completely surprised. It was an ENTIRE outfit…a GREAT dress, all the things to go with the dress, EVEN stiletto BOOTS! 🙂 No kidding! And we hadn’t even left the house yet! It was a gorgeous outfit and I couldn’t believe he did that!! I was already beaming from ear to ear….and SOO excited that I almost could not contain myself! Then, we left…and as we headed OUT of town,

I actually said to Mark when we got on the highway, “Ya know honey….a part of me kind of hoped that we were staying right here in Indy because we love it here soo much, we could do all the things we always want to do and see the tourists getting to do….and feel comfortable and welcome, but still be getting away in a place that means soo much to us and we know soo well”. I ACTUALLY said that.

Well, I had no idea what was really happening. I should back up and tell you that each and every event or prelude to an event had a beautifully written and packaged letter to go with it (again, incredible attention to detail). So, I sort of knew when another surprise was around the corner. Well, as we were leaving town, Mark took a detour.

I instantly questioned what he was doing because it wasn’t a normal detour. Then, he handed me another letter. As I started to read the letter, we entered one of the most incredible displays of Christmas lights in the city. I LOVE Christmas, it is my MOST favorite time of the year…bar none! Mark is the same way! We turn into 5 year olds at Christmas because we get soo excited!

So, this was the most perfect way to start the weekend and he knew it would go along with the favorite thing theme, because I beg him all Christmas long to take me out on a Christmas light tour. So, that was incredible. Then, I read on in the letter to find that our next stop is “our” Starbucks where we had our first date. It’s really special to us and we go there alot!

Also, another one of my favorite things is Starbucks….so to go to that special Starbucks and have another favorite thing…was just perfect. I’m starting to wonder if we are leaving town, because it was kind of getting late…and I read on in the letter to find out that we are doing exactly what I said I “hoped” we were doing, just 15 minutes before that!! 🙂

We were staying in my most favorite city in the world and doing all of our most favorite things here in our city!!! YAAAY!!! So, after “pre dinner drinks” at Starbucks, he told me we were going to our favorite (you are going to get sick of that word!) restaurant and eating our fav(i’m going to abbreviate from now on!) meal!

I knew it was Bonefish Grill….bang bang shrimp, lump crab chowder and seared ahi tuna! I was RIGHT! 🙂 YAY, again!! It was amazing….they were waiting for us, wished us a happy anniversary, sat us in our fav place and we had the most amazing dinner!! We just love it there!

I couldn’t believe it was just the beginning and there were already soo many ultra thoughtful things. We left dinner and Mark took me on my fav drive in the entire city, over the holidays….it’s through the Meridian Kessler Neighborhood (amazing old homes that are fantastic) for their holiday light display. It was great! Next, was onto the Circle (the center of our city) to enjoy the holiday spirit in the city….and of course, I love that.

A small bummer….the major wind storm we had blew out tons of the lights, so the monument tree (they string lights from our monument on the circle…and it forms a tree, the largest Christmas tree in the world, in fact) wasn’t lit. It didn’t dampen our spirits at all, though! Next, I was SOO excited to find out that we were headed to my fav hotel in all the city….the new, gorgeous Conrad Downtown.

It’s the only 5 star Hotel in Indy…we aren’t all that major around here….but it was just incredible and totally luxurious. I have wanted to stay there since it opened and Mark knew that…and when I found out we had the whole weekend there, I was SOO excited! I walked into the room and it was like I was like I stepped into a DREAM…there was ANOTHER pile of beautifully wrapped gifts, the room was full of our favorite things, the view was amazing, the suite was perfect and gorgeous. 🙂

I was stunned. He was soo thoughtful, he had been there earlier in the day and was already checked in, arranged everything perfectly, filled the room with stuff, they were expecting us and wished us a happy anniversary…. I couldn’t believe he had pulled that off with all the other stuff he was coordinating that night and without me knowing…but he is SOO INCREDIBLE!

The whole night was perfect and I didn’t expect anything more because his thoughtfulness already blew me away…his attention to detail was impeccable and his desire to have every single thing fit me perfectly and make me as happy as possible, just brought me to tears (many, many times).

He also had many other small things that he did that were soo special, but I honestly don’t have space to write about them all!! We slept in on Saturday (a rarity that we both love soo much but almost never get to do), we went and had a wonderful breakfast and then went to spend the afternoon doing another of my favorite things, shopping! He knew that no getaway would be complete in making me 100% happy, unless it involved shopping!

We had SUCH a fun time and even purchased a few Christmas gifts, so we felt very good about ourselves! We went back to the hotel to prepare for our evening. I still had no idea what we were doing or where we were going. I had yet another pile of GIFTS to open, which I was soo excited about! It was like Christmas, over and over and over!!!!!! 🙂 (big smile!!!)

It was yet another GORGEOUS dress (he did VERY good, I was keeping my fingers crossed!!) with all the items to go with the dress and another GREAT pair of shoes! I have really trained him well! I was just ecstatic! He even had backup outfits encase the ones he purchased didn’t look good or didn’t fit!!

I then found out that we were going to a restaurant that we have wanted to try for a long time that is new to Indy. Mark had the perfect blend of our Indy favorites and things that we always say we want to do in our city, planned for our weekend! It was McCormick & Schmicks…and it was amazing.

Before we left for dinner though…we got all dressed up and as we were leaving the Conrad, a lady walked up to us and said “Mr. & Mrs. Strickland, I have your carriage awaiting.” I about fell over. There was a horse and carriage waiting to take us to dinner….and they also took us on a super special ride around the city! It was truly magical! 🙂 We enjoyed the MOST wonderful meal…if you live in Indy, you MUST go! (get the sea scallops or the salmon & pesto! YUMMMM!!!!)

They even wished us a happy anniversary, printed it on our menus and had a special treat for us at the end of our meal. My husband truly thinks of everything! Then….we went to my MOST favorite event in Indy……(and I knew that when he told me we were going to my favorite event that it HAD to be this), it’s the Yuletide Celebration at the Hilbert Theater on the Circle.

It’s the MOST magical holiday event in our city….it’s just soo neat…everyone comes dressed in black tie, it’s full of singing, dancing, orchestra, etc! It’s soo special and puts you in this magical holiday spirit! I was smiling the entire time and it meant soo much to me that he did for me…because I just love it soo much!!It ended and we walked around downtown, just taking it the moment! We went back to the Conrad and enjoyed the rooftop pool & spa (very nice!!!)! It was just a magical night, truly! On Sunday, it was our “leisure” day.

I couldn’t take any more surprises….my mouth was tired from smiling soo much, I cried a ton and was just overwhelmed by how much thought

Mark put into each and every detail…from each event being perfect, each reservation being perfect, each person wishing us a special weekend, the clothes being perfectly sized (which is nearly impossible, I have a really hard time finding clothes that fit me well and I have a very specific style), the colors being perfect, the coordination being perfect, the room being perfect, etc, etc, etc! 🙂 🙂 🙂

On Sunday, we slept in again (I was feeling very spoiled) and enjoyed a relaxing morning. We enjoyed lunch at another one of my favorite places, PF Chang’s….and then went to see a movie, which we always want to do but never have time for. We saw Casino Royale…which was really good! Then, we casually went home, driving around and doing a little house envy (another of our fav things!)

and we spent the remainder of our evening doing what we both love SOO much….being at home, with our cats, in front of a fire, eating a good meal and playing a mean game of monopoly!! 🙂 (yes, we are DORKS!!) (Oh…and I WON!!) We are major homebodies, though…and love being comfy and cozy at home together! He knew it was the perfect way to end our weekend and it definitely was! 🙂

It was the MOST perfect, MOST magical weekend…..and was EVERYTHING that I loved and that was special to me and that had meaning to us and made me happy! He truly thought of everything and put TONS of attention into each and every detail. I was BLOWN away. What made me MOST happy was to be in a place where I felt warm and comfortable…I even saw people I knew!

Getting away in your own city is GREAT that way….you feel soo comfortable, yet still magical like it’s getting away because you are doing all the special things that you usually see people getting to do! I had NO idea that I would LOVE it soo much….but NOW, I want to keep getting away in my own city! It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!

I have no idea how he’s going to keep topping these special things he does….if I haven’t told you about our engagement and how he surprised me then..remind me to…it’s an incredible story!

THANK YOU, AMAZING HUSBAND OF MINE….for one of the best weekend’s of my life! I ADORE YOU!!!!

11 responses to “amazing.weekend”

  1. How romantic! I am sooo happy you had such a wonderful time! Doesn’t it make life soooo wonderful when you have someone like that to share every moment with! He did good:)! I absolutley love the “getaway” weekends in Indy,too! If you like Christmas so much, there are actually a lot of smaller towns that are amazing to visit this time of year. They have fantastic restaurants and great shops and they are right here in good ‘ol Indiana:) I have only one question…how did he propose??

  2. For the record, the Starbuck’s we went to on Friday night was not the location of our first date, but rather the place where I first told Jess, “I love you.” To which she responeded, “Thank you.” Our first date was at the Barnes and Noble in Westfield.

    About the Monopoly game, I felt so bad beating you (I was destroying her) that I took action to make sure you would win. It is really funny, Jess is a sore loser, and I am a sore winner, so it is probably best if Jess wins all the time and I lose. She is a very gracious winner and I don’t cry when I get beat.

    I love you baby…and I am already in the works to top this. It may take me 5 years, but it will happen.

  3. Wow! What an amazing weekend, he is amazing! I am speechless cause that’s all I can say is that you two are so beautiful together, and work so hard, that it was well worth every moment.

    Congratulations & Happy Anniversary!

  4. Oh Jess! I am tearing up reading this! How incredibly thoughtful and romantic!!! I hope you got a purse to match your new shoes too!! lol….
    I really love the photo of you sitting on the couch/chair! Great shot Mark!! Congrats again!! Can’t wait to hear the engagement story (and the “I love you” “thank you” story!! ha ha!!)

    We are celebrating our anniversary the week after Christmas, I should send my hubby over to read this blog entry *hint hint*

  5. AWWWW!!!!! You two are so cute!

    I am hearby proclaiming Mark as the KING OF ALL HUSBANDS!

    He should write a book for all of us loser husbands.

    Congrats again you guys! Cybil and I were chatting about you all weekend. We couldn’t wait to hear about it!

    Thanks for the update!

    Looking forward to this weekend!

  6. Wow!
    As the old song says: what a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man…

    I just love people who are in love!

  7. Wow! What a great surprise!! I smiled the entire way through reading your play by play of your special weekend. I agree with you though in wondering how the heck is he gonna keep topping himself year after year??? If this is what you got for your four anniversary then I can’t wait to hear what he is gonna do for year TEN! I definatelly think you have yourself a keeper. I wanna hear the engagement story!!!

  8. OK Mark you are really really cool for doing such great things for Jess, but Jess you seriously are NOT giving a speach at our wedding!!! LOL it would take 1 hour alone. we don’t have that kind of time.

    (we still love you though!)

  9. toooo cute! like i have said before, please please please can you have mark give a class on how to do these wonderful things so dan isn’t so clueless!? 😀 jk! oh and yay for you guys playing monopoly. that is exactly what dan and i do. yay for dorks!

  10. OMGOSH THAT IS JUST SOOOO CUTE. YOU GUYS ARE SOOO PERFECT FOR EACHOTHER. I ENVY YOUR LOVE(MY MOTHER)

    i was half surprised to not see a video of you opening your presents 🙂

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