Anniversary update

We decided to go with Lincoln's anniversary plans for next weekend. My friend Rachel knew of both of our plans and said that mine were more anniversary oriented (recreating parts of our first date and favorite activities over the last 10 years) but I decided that I like the idea of being surprised with a trip. That has never happened to me before and I'm loving it.

Five months after we started dating I planned a surprise trip for us to London. Lincoln didn't know where we were going until we played "20 Questions" on the way to the airport. I have also planned a number of semi-surprise trips. Oftentimes he would know that we were going on a trip but wouldn't know where until closer to the date or I would tell him where we were going but not what activities we had planned. In all instances I've planned everything from start to finish before telling him our plans. I think he enjoys having everything all planned out for him. It's like being married to a travel agent. He just goes to the airport when I tell him and always has the time of his life.

All of those trips have been wildly successful so I'm excited to see what Lincoln has up his sleeve. So far, however, he has a lot to learn about surprise trips. He has already given up a number of hints although I still have NO idea where we're going. I am the master of the surprise trip...just ask Tracy...but for once I am happy to be the one in the dark.

Fast Cars and Faster Women

Geez, we leave Hannah alone with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days and look what happens:

A guide to Catholic church for Hannah

One of the fun new activities Hannah will get to partake in while she's traveling with Grandma and Grandpa is church!!! I will admit I am a very lapsed Catholic and Hannah never goes to church except when we're visiting Grandma and Grandpa. Even then Lincoln usually rescues her and Jake by taking them somewhere to play under the guise of not interrupting the other churchgoers. Needless to say that isn't an option for the next few weeks but luckily Mom said Hannah did really good during church last weekend.

This morning as I was listening to my iPod I came across the soundtrack from The Altar Boyz. It's an absolutely hilarious - yet totally respectful - religious comedy that Hannah and I both enjoy. I thought now that she has recently attended church she'd appreciate this song all that much more.

All of you Catholics out there will also get a kick out of it. I'm sure Steph will get a good laugh too having attended Catholic Mass with me a time or two down in Arkansas.

Click here to listen. Enjoy!

Grandpa is going to go broke AND get no credit for it

Me: Are you having fun still?

Hannah: Yep.

Me: Are you still spending all of Grandpa's money?

(Hannah giggles)

Hannah: No. Grandma's money!!!

Me: Oh yeah?

Hannah: Yeah, because she got it out of her wallet.

Such a dilemma

A week from Saturday is the 10-year anniversary of when Lincoln and I started dating. Since we still feel like we're dating we celebrate it every year in at least some small way. Ten years, of course, has to be celebrated with something big.

This morning Lincoln mentioned to me that he has planned a romantic, overnight surprise getaway for me for our anniversary. I felt obligated to tell him that I too have planned a romantic, overnight surprise for him. Hmmm....what to do, what to do.

Neither of us are willing to reveal our plans to the other so we've brought in a 3rd party mediator. Rachel is aware of both of our plans and has weighed in. Once I discuss her response with Lincoln we'll have to decide how to proceed.

What problems to have in a marriage......whose romantic getaway should we go with? We can only be so lucky.

I think this is harder on Jake than anyone else

Poor Jakey. He's really having trouble tonight with how much he misses Hannah.

Our trip by the numbers

Total miles traveled: 3,420.8

Longest day (hours)*: 13 hours and 20 minutes on July 25th from Madison, WI to Clearfield, PA

Most miles in a day*: 689.2 on July 25th.

*2nd runner up for this was 12 hours and 45 minutes to go 562.1 miles on 7/17. We drove only 30 minutes less than our longest day but went 127.1 fewer miles thanks to Chicago traffic and the Great Potato Wedge Debacle of 2009.

Lowest gas price: $2.29 in Elma, IA

Highest gas price: $2.75 in Fishkill, NY

Average gas price: $2.48

Average MPG: I didn't actually go back and calculate this because I'm too lazy to dig out all the receipts and match them to my mileage log but the two times I did do it we were getting 21 mpg on the highway so we'll go with that as an answer.

Number of days: 11

Number of vomiting incidences: 2

Number of meals at Mabe's Pizza: 4

Number of meals at Arby's: 3

Number of meals at McDonald's: 1

Number of pitchers of beer: Ummm.....I lost track.

MILEAGE BY THE DAY:

Day 1: 583.3 miles - Upton, MA to Youngstown, OH
Day 2: 562.1 miles - Youngstown, OH to Madison, WI
Day 3: hanging around Madison
Day 4: 142.5 - Madison, WI to Decorah, IA
Day 5: hanging around Decorah
Day 6: 134.1 miles (hanging around Decorah plus we went to Elma, IA and back.)
Day 7: 274.7 miles - Decorah, IA to Aitkin, MN
Day 8: hanging around the lake
Day 9: 431.3 miles - Aitkin, MN to Decorah, IA to Ridgeway, IA to Madison, WI
Day 10: 689.2 miles - Madison, WI to Clearfield, PA
Day 11: 444.0 miles - Clearfield, PA to Upton, MA