Frugal Trophy Wife: The 5th Anniversary Post

Last October/November was a busy season for me and I got way behind on blogging. Which reminds me - I still haven't blogged about my Ragnar Relay experience. Jay hasn't let me forget my failure to blog our 5th anniversary celebration.

Jay's parents wanted to do a weenie roast at our house for his birthday (October 24th). That night Jay & I (along with my parents) attended a Light the Night Leukemia Lymphoma walk to celebrate my cousin's first year of being cancer free. I can't say enough how sweet it was of my darling to spend his birthday celebrating someone else.

The following day, I hopped in a Van and headed down south for a Run. Then the week following his stint as our chauffeur, my dad has total knee replacement. The weenie roast was pushed to the following week - mine & Jay's anniversary.

Back off ladies - he's mine!

I don't know if we bore them to tears or they just love being helpful, but so much gets done around the house when Jay's parents come for a visit. Anywho, back to the story. They'd offered to take us out for our anniversary dinner - anywhere we wanted. Jay picked a local trout house in Gatlinburg.

Our anniversary fell on a Friday, so I went to work while they worked around the house.

ring ring

Jay: You need to be sure to get home quickly tonight.

Brooke: I have a stop to make after work, but I'll be ready to go.

Jay: No. Come straight home.

Brooke: Ummm...

Jay: Mom can't eat after 7, so you'll have to get home ASAP so we can get to the restaurant.

Brooke: Ummm...I don't have a card for you yet.

Truth - I didn't have him anything. But his mama had to eat early, so straight home I went. Only when I arrived, she was still in her jammies.

Then Jay encouraged me to change into jeans for dinner. So I picked out a pair of cute skinny jeans and my awesome leather knee boots. Only Jay expressed his dislike of the outfit. Understand that my man never comments on my outfits, unless its to compliment me. He had an agenda.

"What about my trail shoes? Will those work?" I asked. When he answered affirmatively, I knew where he was taking me - the nature trail in our subdivision. It gets muddy and he didn't want me to ruin my good boots. I also realize why I had to rush home. In the fall, daylight in scarce after I get home from work.

Sure enough, we got in the car and turned left out of our driveway, instead of right. But half way there is had to stop and turn around. He'd forgotten his battery powered drill. What the what? After a few lewd comments, we were on our way to the nature trail.

There are 5 footbridges like the one above. We were celebrating our 5th anniversary. On each of the bridges he'd screwed a sign with the year and a picture from that year.

Our 1st anniversary trip to California.

Our 2nd anniversary trip to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Over each bridge, as is tradition on hikes, we stopped halfway over and kissed. Dark was falling and he encouraged me to walk quickly!

3rd at the Smoky Mountain Brewery with some buddies.

4th at Hillbilly Hot Dog in West Virginia
(as featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives)

Then, at the 5th bridge, there was something a bit different...

My love,

I know you said you wanted to listen to this song live on our 5th anniversary

(baby you song

you make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise)

BUT...

Cruise on over across the bridge and look for the hidden box!

Thanks for being a gem of a wife!

Love, Jay

Autumn in Tennessee means lots of fallen leaves. Especially on a wooded trail. The hidden box took forever and a few hints to find. When I did find it, it was in a garbage bag. Opening the bag I found a box (he'd made with scrap wood) with bags inside. He'd tagged them with numbers.

#1 was a bottle of hard cider

#2 was a bottle of hard cider

We popped the caps, had a sip, and continued.

#3 was...

Crap. I can't remember. I know it was something that led to us dancing to our wedding song on the moonlit trail. (And now you know why he'd brought a cider for himself. White boy don't dance.)

#4 was a picture of a cruise ship, promising our 6th anniversary would be spent aboard one.

And promised something to wear in the next bag.

#5 was a set of ocean-blue earrings.

Some long-name for a precious stone.

Poor thing didn't consider how we'd haul all this stuff back on the trail. In the dark. We ended up taking the long way around, which was an actual road rather than a trail. We figured the risk of injury was less. Finally we got back to the house and went to the trout house for dinner. After dinner we headed up to Moonshine Holler for some samples and life music.