Success!

So, about a week and a half ago I had the idea of doing a surprise date night for Robert. Well, one thing led to another, as they often do with me, and this is what I ended up with:

I decided to go for an at-home date. Less money, more privacy, etc. Robert (as well as several others) have frequently jested/suggested that I dress goth for something, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to pull it off. The colors of the evening were black, red, and white. I spent all of last week collecting supplies, all the while bursting with excitement and simultaneously trying to not let on that I was plotting something. Once I had all the necessities, I arranged to do it Monday.

As soon as Robert left for work, I got busy. I made salad, garlic bread, lasagna, green beans, and crème brûlée, all his favorites. Tiernan helped by being happy to play in the kitchen sink for upwards of an hour while I cooked. 

Once most of the cooking prep was done, I started working on the table decorations. Thank God for amazing friends like Kristen, who showed up mid-afternoon to help me. She taught me how to put on makeup (something I've never done), helped with the decorations, and then whisked Tiernan off for the evening so that it could just be me and Robert.

I left a suggestive note at the front door, his first clue that it was not going to be a usual evening. I successfully surprised him; he had no idea. It probably helped that it was not an anniversary or any occasion that would typically prompt a surprise...just a romantic evening for the heck of it. 

So, for those of you who always wanted to know what I looked like goth, here you go:

I totally lucked out on the dress...I bought it at Salvation Army for $5.00. It was not what I was looking for at first; no, it was way better.  It took a couple stores to find it, but it was worth the time. It fit perfectly, and Robert loved it.

All in all, everything went smoothly and it was a wonderful evening. I love you, Robert!