The happy couple

Jeff and I marked 11 years together last weekend by sneaking away to Huntsville for some rest and relaxation. We stayed at the Westin at Bridge Street Town Centre.

Getting away proved to be easier said than done as we had to first get Amelia over a case of strep throat and contend with Lola cutting three teeth at one time. We managed to get out the door Friday, though, and made it to the hotel a little after 3 p.m.

I've never stayed at a Westin before but I've heard good things about them. I was pleased overall, but wasn't bowled over by it like I have been by other hotels at which we've stayed.
With that having been said, though, all in all I really enjoyed our accommodations.

While the decor was a little industrial and modern for my taste, everything else, including the service, was great. The package deal we booked included breakfast in bed, which is well worth the added cost, although I would have preferred a few more menu selections from which to choose.

I loved the hotel pool. It was an combination indoor/outdoor pool that wasn't chlorinated but rather infused with salt water. The grounds around the pool were gorgeous. There were beautiful flower beds and shrubs that meandered among the walkways and seating areas.

Our room was really nice, but as I said before, a little stark for me. The bed, which the website refers to as a "heavenly bed," was not so heavenly for us. It was too soft, even for Jeff, who would sleep on a cloud if he could. However, the really nice flat-screen plasma television made up for any gripes we had with the bed.

I l-o-v-e-d the fact that the movie theatre was just outside the hotel. Jeff and I are movie junkies but never get to watch films in the theatre. We made up for lost time on this trip, though, as we took in two shows.

Friday night we went to see "The Hangover," which is hi-freaking-larious. I would watch it again tonight. We laughed throughout the movie and have been quoting our favorite parts ever since we saw it. Also, Bradley Cooper, who stars as Phil in the movie, is quite easy on the eyes, so getting to see him was an added bonus for me.

Saturday night we went to see "Public Enemies," in which cutie pies Johnny Depp and Christian Bale star. The movie, which is based on life and crimes of John Dillinger, was good, but could have been better if a few scenes that weren't crucial to the plot had been left out. However, it was worth sitting through those scenes for me because I got to swoon over Depp and Bale.

Before seeing the movie, we had drinks and an appetizer at Scene, a bar located in the theatre. How cool is that??!! I enjoyed an appletini, okay two, and Jeff had a beer. We also had gourmet pizza that was delish! During our stay in Huntsville we also had some wonderful meals at Red Robin and Cantina Laredo. I highly recommend the brisket tacos at Cantina Laredo, which also mixes some yummy Patron margaritas.

Jeff and I spent part of the day Saturday at the Westin Spa where we each got a massage and I splurged and got a hair cut. It's first time a stylist had gotten near my hair since August so to say I was in need of a cut is quite the understatement. I took a photo of me when my hair was cut the way I like it best and was thrilled that the stylist was able to recreate it exactly.

Jeff thoroughly enjoyed his massage, but I came out feeling worse than when I went in. I tend to carry a lot of tension between my shoulder blades so the massage therapist tried her best to work it out. However, her attempts only made me hurt more and resulted in a knot popping up that only went away when I rested on a heating pad after we came home.

Next time, I'll stick with enjoying the sauna and jacuzzi tub as well as another hair cut and just skip the torture chamber, I mean massage room.

While there was a lot to love about Bridge Street, the shops were not at all attractive to me mainly because I am neither a size 2 nor younger than 8 years old. The directory of shops doesn't include a single store from which I could purchase anything to wear except DSW, but their shoes aren't special enough for me to drive over an hour to buy them. I used to be able shop at Old Navy, but they no carry plus sizes in their store, at least not sizes that would fit me. Needless to say, I won't be going back to Bridge Street to make any purchases from any of their shops.

Grandmaw and Pawpaw, brave souls that they are, kept Amelia and Lola for us so we could enjoy a short respite. Always gluttons for punishment, they also opened their doors to four other grandchildren; although those kids, especially girls Payton and Kelsey, turned out to be big helpers for their grandparents.

I truly enjoyed getting a couple of days just with Jeff. It was so nice to be able to decompress. Truth be told, I think he missed the kids more than I did, although it was nice to see them again even though Lola cried when I picked her up and Amelia, when I told her I'd missed her said, "Well, I didn't miss you."

If I'd of known that, then I would've booked a few more days away to see if a longer absence would have made the girls' hearts grow fonder for us. Nah, I don't think Jeff could have stood it.