The Bronze Anniversary

December 1 marked 19 years since Clint and I said I do. When I looked up the traditional gift for a 19-year wedding anniversary, I got a little laugh out of the fact that it is bronze: after all the bronze star is the medal awarded to soldiers for bravery in combat. It seem befitting, right?

Our actual anniversary fell on a Tuesday, and since we are putting in a pool at the present moment and Christmas is right around the corner, we decided against giving gifts, Plus, I couldn't think of too many dazzling bronze options that tickled my fancy. Better to wait until next year for the platinum anniversary and see what we can come up with there. I did vow not to cook, so we ordered pizza and I picked up some very festive-for-the-occasion wedding cake cupcakes from Gigi's Cupcakes for dessert. After dinner, we poured some sparkling cider and trimmed the Christmas tree, which has become a kind of anniversary tradition for us.

Even though we said no gifts, that means small gifts. I gave him some Christmas Vacation socks and a taco Christmas tree ornament and he surprised me with flowers.

Lest you think I am the only creative one in the family, Clint made this and put it inside my anniversary card. He used pictures of us on floats from a vacation a few years ago and Photoshopped them onto the rendering of our pool. And added a lizard, for effect. I laughed so hard I cried.

Wedding cake cupcakes to celebrate 19 years.

Sparkling apple cider and tree trimming time! Cheers to wedded bliss!

Charlie was happy to help decorate the tree, too. In his special puppy way.

Having an anniversary that falls at the beginning of the holiday season means it usually gets a little lost in the busyness of the season, but this year we decided we really wanted to take a moment and get away, even if it was just for a night. We booked ourselves a reservation at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville and drove up Friday morning for a quick celebratory mountain getaway. 

Our first stop was lunch at The Gourmet Chip Company and some shopping and browsing around downtown Asheville, until the rain started to fall. Then we gladly took refuge in the coziness of the Grove Park Inn. Even though their gingerbread house competition wasn't on pubic display this year, there were still lots of beautifully decorated Christmas trees to enjoy. After wandering and enjoying that wonder, we settled in front of the fire with a cocktail for the afternoon.

Feeling festive (face masks and all) at the beautifully decorated Grove Park Inn.

We left the historic Grove Park and headed to our hotel to check in. The Grand Bohemian Hotel is eclectic--think luxury European hunting lodge--with a lobby full of leather furniture and a massive stone fireplace surrounded by rustic finishes, antiques, and art.  

This is Fritz, the stuffed boar who lives in the Grand Bohemian's lobby.
Guests are invited to bring pins from Austria and Germany for Fritz's hat whenever they visit, but since I don't have have any pins from those places, I might get him a Dollywood pin the next time we go.

We got dressed and went out for a delicious dinner at a nearby restaurant called Chestnut (broiled oysters for Clint and crab fettuccine for myself; something about the mountain air made us crave seafood, apparently) and then we retreated back to that beautiful hotel lobby for a nightcap. We even met another couple celebrating their first anniversary and enjoyed sharing some married people war stories with those newlyweds! 

Saturday morning we got to sleep late, something our new puppy never lets us do, which was blissful. We bundled up and headed out for brunch, then stopped off at (but of course) a local pet supply store we love to buy a souvenir for the fur boss waiting for us back home. Pandemic restrictions made it a low-key trip, but it was nice to get a change of scenery and enjoy the Christmas decorations, the city of Asheville, and of course, each other. 

Happy anniversary to us!