I just got home from our anniversary dinner. It was great. Before we left, I had time to actually put on makeup (rare with me), and curled my hair and put part of it up. I found my jeweled hair pins that I wore on my wedding day and put them in my hair as a special thing. They looked pretty with the curls.
We got there perfectly on time for our reservation, so I didn't have to feel stressed out at all. We were seated right next to a large fireplace in a room with veranda doors wide open at one end, letting the evening air in.
The food was amazing. We got our salads first, which were fantastic on their own. I got a "wilted" spinach salad, which is served warm, topped with tangy cheese and slices of bacon and a sweet/zesty sauce. For our entrees, we both got the rack of lamb. The menu read beneath this item "Could a million coyotes be wrong?" We don't think so, and if it's good enough for coyotes, it's good enough for us.
Of course, it was amazing. My first bite was so tender and juicy that I almost had a when-harry-met-sally moment right there in the restaurant. We ordered creme brulee for dessert, and as a surprise for our anniversary, they brought out a little tray of fruits with a sparkler/firework going nuts that lasted for a minute or so. Nice touch. It was also nice, because the tray included a chocolate covered strawberry, which they served at our reception, so that was sentimental.
After dinner we walked around the grounds for awhile. It was just before sunset. I didn't take my camera, but I had my phone which takes awful photos, but I still snapped a few as we walked around.
First thing out the door, at eye level there was a tall planter with a peacock on top! There are a lot of ducks and peacocks walking around the grounds, but it was still surprising to see one face to face!
We walked to the spots that we remembered from our wedding day. Since it was just getting dark they turned on the lights around the grounds, and it was gorgeous. (these pictures make it looks like it was practically noon, but it was nice and twilighty and things glowed).
We circled around to the big glass topiary/green house where we had our reception. We thought for sure someone would be having a wedding there tonight, since it's May and a Friday night, but it was empty and a little dark. Michael saw one of the side doors ajar and pulled me inside. They had some music playing that was piped in from the restaurant, and we danced where we danced on our wedding day, and I looked over his shoulder at the plants and glass and the chandelier moving by, and it felt like not one day had passed since our wedding there. It was the best part of the evening.
Luckily, we left the greenhouse without anyone coming and telling us to leave because we were ridiculous, and I swear we passed a girl getting proposed to on our way out. It was the kind of moment where my brain shut off and I tried to stop, like witnessing a car accident, and Michael just steadily pulled me on down the path, because he has sense and more than an ounce of decency, and knows when one shouldn't stare: all things I lacked at that moment. Anyway, we left feeling full and giddy and remembering lots of good things. I feel kind of bad, going on about how great it was, but darn it I've had a lot of crap happen lately and it's nice to post about something that doesn't involve me on a gurney.
A couple more pictures -
One of the rooms we didn't eat in, but pretty:
And check out the peacocks on the roof!
I think they like to feel tall.
Which was pretty fun to watch, too.
In the back of this photo (above) you can see Jack trying to get Adam with a water balloon. Jack spent most of the time trying to get Adam.
Unfortunately, those water balloons were sometimes more bouncy than breaky-splashy.
(I added that line for effect. Not that you needed it with that we've-locked-in-on-our-target glare)
Too bad Jack's balloon went slightly awry.
Now Eden's in on it.
Unfortunately, it looks like Eden's aim is about as good as Jack's. But who's this on the right? A new contender? Taking advantage of Adam's distraction??
NEW TARGET SIGHTED
Dodge attack from Dallin. Continue pursuing target. 
That's cold!
Looks like Jack's got something on his mind.
