Hidden in plain sight: I’m planning a secret trip for my husband!
Bad husband?
My husband Josh doesn’t read my blog. He just doesn’t. (Yes, this has been the topic of some “conversations” in our household). So, I feel pretty safe about brazenly posting this piece about planning a secret trip for him, because he’s not gonna see it (what a great silver lining to this situation, don’t you think?)
Here’s the deal:
We’ve never done this before.
If you are a regular reader, you may recall that Josh and I have never taken a vacation without our kids. I know, I know…
As each year passes, I feel more and more embarrassed to admit this, especially since I write a blog about travel.
And our kids will be ten and twelve this year. I KNOW, I KNOW…
2015 is the dawn of a new era.
After a little bit of friendly public shaming, a lot of kind support, and a few genuine offers of kid-watching, I’m going for it this year. I’m going to surprise Josh with a trip to New Orleans!
It’s not going to be a super long trip – just three nights – but I have to take baby steps, people. I chose New Orleans because it is my favorite city ever, and I’m already looking forward to the trip, even though it’s in August. (Yes, I know about August in New Orleans. I like it that way.)
God only knows what will happen.
It’s true.
Wish me luck.
Please.
Place your bets.
Do you think Josh will see this post?
I’d love to hear what you think about all of this.
.
What a cool idea! I totally understand about your husband not reading your blog. I actually hear it’s pretty common in the blogging community. I ask my husband to proof mine sometimes before I hit post (the copywriter in me cringes if I let a mistake go out). But other than that, he really doesn’t read it on his own. So, way to take advantage of the situation! I love New Orleans too. You’ll have a blast – way to ring in the new year! 🙂
Caroline – what is your blog? Would love to check it out! Thanks for the encouragement 🙂
It’s http://www.carolinemadethis.com. Thank you! Hope you enjoy!
I kidnapped my husband once and took him to St. Augustine, FL for our anniversary. I requested time-off for him secretly and his boss was wildly enthusiastic about the whole thing. On the day of the big event, I pretended to drive him to work but turned onto the interstate instead; he was wonderfully clueless most of the whole way. He eventually figured out that this was a kidnapping but never guessed the destination, until we pulled into the hotel. I kept pretending that I was making wrong turns and then that I was hopelessly lost. I can’t remember when we had so much fun. One of my greatest triumphs.
heavenlyjane- That sounds awesome!! Love it, love it!
My husband and I took our first (and only trip) without the kids in 2009. (Then, they were 17, 10, 9 and 1). He had a heart attack at age 35 and we traveled 2 months later. We had never lived near family and that was a big reason why we had never gone off alone. We ended up having a great time, the kids survived, and we wondered why we had hadn’t done it sooner! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy 🙂
Stacy – Thank you! Just exactly what I needed to hear!
I think it is AWESOME!! Get that under your belt, and maybe you’ll ship your kids off for a private vacation of their own someday? 🙂
Rebecca – Baby steps 😉
Hi – I planned a surprise trip for my husband, who DOES read my blog. It was tricky but very fun. General tips for anyone wanting to plan a surprise visit, along with the specifics of my husband’s surprise trip, are at http://pearlsoftravelwisdom.boardingarea.com/2014/12/can-you-plan-a-surprise-trip-for-someone-sure/.
I can’t wait to hear how your trip goes!
Carol
Carol – Nice!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Yay for you two! Sorry you have to wait so long….though I guess it’s no longer “a year” away. The closest I’ve come to this was surprising M with a bunch of fun evening activities for his fiftieth birthday. But we don’t have kids….so it’s a different situation. I’m sure we’ll hear more about your planning!
Laura – I’ve got plenty of trips to keep me busy in the meantime 🙂 Your plan sounds great as well!!
Rock on! And trust your community to protect and entertain your kids. Taking the trip is an act of faith and trust that gathers momentum in all areas of your life. Josh is going to LOVE it. (Hopefully someone doesn’t tip him off!)
pinkisnice – Thank you! Agree. Gathering momentum as we speak.
I bet he really does read your blog.
Jordan – We’ll see!
We are the same way. Husband and I took our very first trip without the 3 kids this past September (Paris for a week). My oldest is 15. UGH. But you know what? We LOVE to take them with us to see the world. Virtually none of our kids’ peers have been to Europe or South Africa. I’m currently planning a Caribbean trip, a Galapagos cruise, and a SE Asia adventure. All with my kids.
And we took them to New Orleans last year for spring break. I have to say, though, that NOLA is a great place for an adult-only trip. If you want something serious but amazing for a day, visit the WWII museum. It was fantastic.
Beck – Wow, we are on the same page! About everything. I also love traveling with my kids. And the reason I chose New Orleans for this trip is that I agree, it’s great for an adults-only getaway.
Have a great time on your trips this year!