Daddy's Christmas SURPRISE!!!!

There are no secrets at the Womble house. It is a general rule we made when we first married. However, there are exceptions to every rule and good secrets fit into that category. After all the other gifts were opened on Christmas morning, I handed Daddy what he THOUGHT was his Christmas SURPRISE. He unwrapped the first package and the big treasure hunt began. The note inside said...
"This year, a treasure hunt will lead you to your Christmas surprise." Underneath the note was an envelope. Inside the envelope was the first rhyming riddle that led him to his first clue.


Clue #1 in MG room: 3 trees
(Muir Woods National Forest-Giant Sequoia Trees)
Clue #2 in Laundry room: toy handcuffs
(Alcatraz)

Clue #3 in upstairs bath: Geotrax bridge
(Golden Gate Bridge)

Clue #4 in Kitchen snack cabinet: left over fortune cookie
(Chinatown & Chinese New Year Parade)

Clue #5 in Playroom: corkscrew
(Napa Valley Wine tour)

Clue #6 in the attic: toy airplane
(Plane ride to our destination)
Brrrrrrr...it was a little too cold to be searching for a clue in the attic. Sorry Daddy.All of his clues together... Attached to clue #6 was the riddle that sent him back to the Christmas tree. I made him lay out all of his clues and then open his last box to find the final clue. It was PERFECT! I was snapping pictures like he was Brad Pitt and I was a member of the papparazzi. Pay attention to his face as it changes from 'what in the world does this all mean' to 'wait a minute, does this mean what I think it means'. Daddy: "a bridge? a box of rice? Rice-a-Roni? Rice-a-Roni...the San Francisco treat? [long pause...you could totally see his little wheels a turnin'] ARE WE GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO?
Mommy: YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, we're goin' to San Francisco!!! Merry Christmasssss! [as I snapped this photo]
His smile quickly turned to concern...
Daddy: Why are we going to San Francisco with the kids? [I'm sure he was having flashes of horrible plane rides, sleepless nights in a hotel and nothing kid friendly to do in a grown up city.] blah blah blah. Hahahaha...
Mommy: We're NOT! We're going together...just me and you baby!

The huge smile quickly returned when I unveiled all of the details. Hold up that Rice-a-Roni box baby...San Francisco HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!So, come February we are off to the City by the Bay for a little celebrating...Merry Christmas, Happy Valentines and Happy 30th birthday handsome. You have earned this trip three times over. Your interests are the very reasons I chose this great city...great wine (Napa Valley), fantastic food (a plethora of foodie restaurants), your love of all things transportation (trolley cars), your curiosity for things out of the ordinary (Alcatraz, Sequoia trees, Chinatown) and your desire (and mine) for us to have a little more grown up time in our lives. I love you more than anything or anyone on this planet. The look of excitement and disbelief on your face will forever be etched in my mind. 6 days together, just Daddy and Mommy, exploring a fantastic city and enjoying some much needed grown up time together. I absolutely, positively can not wait...