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I have fantastic news! Last night, Manly and I went on a date! Yeah, like a REAL date.
We’re talking no kids, got dressed up, stayed up late, and didn’t eat fast food kind of date!
I can’t tell you how needed it was.
Let’s just say our last date was for our 11th anniversary… in July.
It’s not that we aren’t crazy for each other, because we totally are in our own quirky, goofed up kind of way! It’s just that with 4 crazy munchkins, Manly’s job, life in general, my calling in the Young Women’s, 4 crazy munchkins, family, 4 crazy munchkins, we just don’t get much time together. Alone. And, well, when we do, we are usually exhausted and just want to veg. Are we the only ones? Nah, I’m guessing that you’ve TOTALLY been there! I think it comes with that shiny badge of parenthood, along with the crying infant and diapers.
Going out last night was fun. We got to give all of our attention to each other. To us! No stopping every 15 minutes to take someone to the potty. Nobody shooting chocolate milk out their nose. No fighting, kicking, screaming, biting, or temper tantrums involved! We got to laugh, talk about grown up stuff, hold hands, and well, breathe. Breathing is cleansing.
Breathing made me think.
Why don’t I make more of an effort to place my sweetheart higher on the priority list? Maybe this random last minute, “go if there ever pops up the opportunity” thing isn’t working like we’d hoped? Maybe it’s time to do some planning ahead {Ugh. dislike!} and set dates on the calendar? Even if that date is just turning on a movie for the kids and locking ourselves in our room with a card game and a big bowl of ice cream to share. The big dates, like last night, are amazing! But, I think any date, no matter how silly, small, or inexpensive would do wonders for us. Then, if something pops up, like last night when my folks called and asked to have the grandkids spend the night, then hey! We take it and run! If it doesn’t, then we’ve got Yahtzee and hot chocolate after the kids fall asleep. I guess it’s not what we do. It’s that we just… do.
So, that’s my new goal. Making time for US. After all, we give so much time to everyone else, there’s got to be a little sliver of it somewhere for the Mr. and Mrs., right? I just have to find it and then guard it like I guard my sacred box of Junior Mints on the top pantry shelf behind the rice cooker. Shhh!
I *raising right arm* swear {wait, I really am working on that, I promise! I haven’t said a naughty word in 3 days, thank you very much!} that it won’t be 3 months until our next date!
I have a feeling I’m going to have to get creative with this goal, aren’t I?
I started a board on Pinterest, come follow along. This could be fun! And, well, it sure better be or the man isn’t going to give up his precious Sports Center time.
As always, I’d love any ideas of what has worked for you! What doesn’t work? Do you go somewhere special that you think we’d enjoy? Try something new {um, keep it clean peeps!} that was a lot of fun? Where do you love to eat? Favorite 2 person games? {Again, clean-ish} How do you find time for your sweetie? Long question short…
My husband and I go out pretty much every Friday. I get us a babysitter, which is hard for me, but worth it every time. I look forward to not cooking dinner or putting kids to bed. It gives me the recharge I need to deal with being the mom all the rest of the week. We always get food, and then we find something fun to do. Sometimes we just stay out long enough for the babysitter to put the kids to bed and then come home to watch a movie. Other nights we go sit in the hot tub at our gym. During the summer we go hang out at the park, go mountain biking, walk up the canyon. Make time for dates, it’s so worth it!
I found you!!! I have missed you and I found you! Congrats on your new teeth! Way to go on the beautiful bench! I am so proud of you with your calling – you are doing amazing things! I am so not surprised you have that calling. You are perfect for it!
As for the date night: until recently, we didn’t get out much either. It is hard to find a babysitter, to pay a babysitter, to find the time, there is always something. But it is so worth it to make the time for dates. We go every week now and it has helped our relationship so much! Some weeks it is a different night because things always come up, but it has been such a wonderful thing. You won’t regret it! Love you!!!!
I’ll admit, you sound just like me…I’ve totally been there. If we go out it usually involves me…getting the babysitter, picking where we eat, and what we do, and I don’t always want to do that, but if I made the effort more it sounds like it’d be worth it. Can’t wait for him to do some random romantic thing, it may never happen, lol 🙂