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Surprise trips... how did you reveal?
I'm surprising DH with a trip to Vegas this weekend for his upcoming 30th birthday. I'm SO excited... it's been in the works for over a year. The only thing left to do is decide how to reveal the surprise. I'm planning on telling him when he gets home on Friday... I will have already started packing his back and he'll have about 30 min to finish packing so we can get to the airport. (I'd keep the secret until we got to the airport, but he's really particular about how/what he packs). I'm probably going to tell him that we have dinner plans right after work so he'll get home on time. But other than that, I'm at a loss. I know he'll be excited no matter what, but after planning this for a year, I want to get a great reaction. 
If you surprised someone with a trip, or someone surprised you... how was it done?
PS. I'm trying to make a few dinner reservations for our trip, but I
can't decide. Any favorite restaurants for special occasions? Must
have really really awesome food and be on the strip.
BFP 12.20.2010 :: missed m/c 1/2011 around 8 weeks
BFP @ 9dpo 5.24.2011 :: missed m/c 6/2011 around 7 weeks
positive for ANAs (1:40) with a speckled pattern
MTHFR c677t mutation (heterozygous)
*folic acid, baby asprin, Prometrium, acupuncture, Lovenox*
BFP @ 9dpo 2.1.2012 || HCG = 8 : Progesterone = 19.2
2nd HCG @ 11dpo = 40 || 3rd HCG @ 21dpo = over 5000!
Stick, little one, stick! EDD October 15, 2012
Re: Surprise trips... how did you reveal?
I did the same thing when we went to Austin (surprised DH with the trip). I told him a the airport. I had his bags packed and in the car. He knew we had something planned that day, but he didn't know what. He actually thought we were going to a nice breakfast! Little did he know that we were taking a trip to Texas.
I also like pp's idea of giving him a travel book.
Tell him you all are going to dinner. Drive to the airport. Get his stuff out of the trunk of the car. Tell him "Oh, by the way.....Dinner? It's in Vegas." That should do the trick!
I love this idea! However, you'll have the packing issue you discussed. In order to really keep it a surprise, I'd just overpack all his fav clothes / shoes. LOL GL and have fun!
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
I surprised H with a trip to Vegas for his 30th. I didn?t tell him until I woke him up at 3:30 in the morning to leave for the airport. I had everything packed worked it out with his work. He was totally shocked. But once we got to the airport I had another surprise of a bunch of his friends meet us there and we all took the same flight.
BFP 12.20.2010 :: missed m/c 1/2011 around 8 weeks
BFP @ 9dpo 5.24.2011 :: missed m/c 6/2011 around 7 weeks
positive for ANAs (1:40) with a speckled pattern
MTHFR c677t mutation (heterozygous)
*folic acid, baby asprin, Prometrium, acupuncture, Lovenox*
BFP @ 9dpo 2.1.2012 || HCG = 8 : Progesterone = 19.2
2nd HCG @ 11dpo = 40 || 3rd HCG @ 21dpo = over 5000!
Stick, little one, stick! EDD October 15, 2012
this is a great post!! I am planning on doing something similar for my H's 30th in July and was actually just thinking about it today.
Did you work it out with his boss or did he have the time off already?
This is a good one... and tell him that it doesn't come up with the city. He has to use the zip code. It'll come up in Vegas... and he'll be shocked.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
I like that idea too! Unfortunately, the address is on Las Vegas Blvd so I think he'd get the idea.
And that would kinda reveal where we're staying (the Wynn). But I might just go with that unless I go for it and just pack for him and drive him to the airport. Keep the ideas/stories coming though, these are great!
Oh, and DH is a teacher so I knew he wouldn't be able to get time off this early in the school year (and it'd be difficult for me to arrange it for him) so we're leaving almost as soon as he gets home from work on Friday and coming back mid-day on Labor Day so he has some time to recuperate before school the next day!
PS. Made a reservation at Carnevino, but I replaced it with SW Steakhouse after reading reviews on Trip Advisor. Need two more restaurants for dinners! Suggestions?
BFP 12.20.2010 :: missed m/c 1/2011 around 8 weeks
BFP @ 9dpo 5.24.2011 :: missed m/c 6/2011 around 7 weeks
positive for ANAs (1:40) with a speckled pattern
MTHFR c677t mutation (heterozygous)
*folic acid, baby asprin, Prometrium, acupuncture, Lovenox*
BFP @ 9dpo 2.1.2012 || HCG = 8 : Progesterone = 19.2
2nd HCG @ 11dpo = 40 || 3rd HCG @ 21dpo = over 5000!
Stick, little one, stick! EDD October 15, 2012
Along the l lines of having him mapquest the directions, could you ask him to go do that, but have your flight itinerary up on the screen so when he goes to the computer, that's what he sees? Of course, that will only work if he's nosy enough to look at it and won't just automatically open a new window!
You could also have a short scavenger hunt for him when he gets home that would lead him to his partially packed suitcase on your bed with a note that says "finish packing - we leave for Vegas in 30 minutes!"
Or, have a pile of laundry or something for him to carry into the bedroom as soon as he walks in the door so he'd see the suitcase & the note.
My other awesome food, special occasion worthy restaurant recs would be Bouchon (at Venetian), Picasso & Delmonico (if you want another steak place).
Also, just a heads up on Wynn. We stayed there 4th of July and little things are quite $$$. Even adjusting for Vegas, it was silly expensive (like $22 for 2 coffees & a bagel with cream cheese from the coffee place, not room service!). If you need something quick, i'd recommend the starbucks across the street at Fashion Show Mall.
have fun surprising DH!
My DH actually planned a surprise trip to Vegas for me right after we got engaged. He had a manilla envelope and in it contained travel information for vegas, photos of the hotel, restaurant menu for the nice restaurant we were going to, chocolate poker chips, dice, a picture of a limo, and pictures and info on the cirque show he had booked. I really enjoyed how he chose to tell me.
We LOVED Charlie Palmers. The service and food was amazing.
I would DIE if someone, anyone, planned a trip for me & surprised me like that! What a great idea! Also, dinner ideas- Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian or Craftsteak at MGM Grand. Yummmm...
Have a fabulous trip & Happy Birthday to your DH!
How about waiting for him in the room, and when he gets home, call him over and have a sign prepared "We're going to Vegas Baby!" and he'll see the luggage and maybe add some Vegas balloons?
I do like the note on the luggage "we leave i n 30 min, finish packing"
Can't wait to hear your final decision!
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
I was the Vegas surprisee last month when DH took me. He didn't want to deal with the packing issue--and truthfully, I'm glad he didn't. I KNOW he would've left out something I wanted or needed...
So what he did was take me to dinner at my parents' on a Sunday (nothing unusual...we do this all the time). But while I'm sitting there, finishing, he gets up, goes to the kitchen (I was facing away from the kitchen) and he starts singing happy birthday--and brings out a cake.
I kept looking at him and saying, "Uh, my birthday's not for a week. Please don't make me rush to 30. What the hell is going on?"
And he just says, "Well, we have to celebrate now because you're not going to see your family on your birthday..." and he hands me the manila envelope with our tickets.
I started to cry. A lot
For my actual birthday dinner, he took me to Mix at The Hotel...it's 64 floors above the strip and has an amazing amazing view. The food was pretty darn good too
He also had the restaurant's pastry chef make me a chocolate birthday cake that was to-die-for-delicious 
We also had a great dinner at Tao at The Venetian.
So you did this AND a gender reveal using scratch offs?! (As you just posted on Getting Pregnant Moms.) Hmmm...