it's been how long?

So, our 5th anniversary is coming up (yeah, 5 years and we're both still alive. we've been together over 6, actually. pretty amazing if you ask me!), and I wanted to do something, ya know, "special." More like different. Not just go eat dinner and go back home. We've never been able to go anywhere without kids/without being pregnant, so I thought it'd be nice.
For some reason, I've had my mind set on Asheville, NC. Couldn't really tell you why. We both like the mountains, so I guess that's why. Again, no idea, because we're not going to the Biltmore or anything (trust me, I wouldn't even bother asking!). Something in the mountains would be nice, somewhere we can go somewhere nice to eat without having to drive an hour, yet still feel we're in the mountains kind of deal.
I'd been looking and looking. Keith seems to think you can still get a decent hotel room for about $60 (apparently he hasn't gotten a room in years, I don't know), and they have nothing like that in Asheville. We have to stay somewhere with a tv because Carolina plays Arkansas that weekend, which you all know is super important (rolling my eyes). He had joked about going to Arkansas for our anniversary, and going to the game. Yeah, sounds super excited. Just the name itself is uninviting.
But after looking and looking and feeling like we were just going to end up sitting at home or at the Pub House watching the game, I started to think, well, I wonder what Fayetteville, Arkansas is like. So, I looked it up. Not too bad. The pictures seem nice. Downtown is cute. Hmmm, maybe this won't be such a terrible thing to surprise him with. We can get tickets to the game and I mean, I can't go wrong with that!
Then I started looking at hotels. Oh, oh, there's, oh, just nothing. The nicest hotel (as in nicest in our price range! even right above, honestly) was nowhere I want to stay on my anniversary. Or ever, really.
Then Keith sent me a link to a place outside of Asheville that he found that is amazing. It's this beautiful, fairytale castle like little place out in sticks. Just gorgeous. I told him to book it!
Sure, he'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to the Gamecocks game. But I mean, it isn't like he never gets to go see them play. He'll be at the very next game, the very next weekend! So, I figure, why tell him about MY possible idea when his idea is so much better and keeps me out of a football stadium on my anniversary?!
It's not like I don't watch the Gamecocks play on every single anniversary. It isn't like I didn't sit there and watch them play on my wedding night!! I deserve to keep my little secret from him!!
Let's just hope I can get the mail before him when the Fayetteville, Ark brochure comes to the house!!!


left, the place in Asheville
below, Arkansas