Project Date Night

Happy New Year, everyone!!  I decided not to do "resolutions" per se this year. Instead, I'm going to do a monthly post on a date night in order to keep me accountable.  Spoiler alert: January's date was a fail... not to epic proportions, but let's just say it didn't go as I'd planned. Stay tuned for that post, if you're interested.

I've said a lot on this blog about the importance of dating your spouse. I still believe that! It does, however, get exponentially harder to do when you have a small child at home (especially if you're nursing), and we've been very lax about dates this past year and a half.  Some families in this situation choose to forego couples only dates and do family outings instead, but I feel that we already do enough family outings and want to make sure M and I get some alone time once a month to connect as adults and spouses, not just parents.

So, Project Date Night, here we come.  Each month, I will post about what we did for a date that month.  Some will be an activity or date "out", some will be a simpler activity or date night "in". Some will be expensive, some will be frugal. Some will be successful, some will flop miserably, I'm sure.

So bear with me!  While I'm doing this more for us than anyone, I do hope that my readers will gain some fresh date ideas to use in strengthening their own relationships.

Here's to building better marriages, one date at a time!

Date Night: Mystery Box[ers] Date

I came across a "Sock Date" idea on the Dating Divas website and thought the idea behind it was pretty clever.  In that situation, the husband used funky socks for his wife... since I'm the one planning the date for the Hubby, I used something that's become our sort of inside joke over the last two years - boxers!

The night before our date, I gave him 4 pairs of boxers and

Dating Your Spouse

The Hubby and me enjoying a picnic 
dinner at the beach

I realize 2 years of marriage does not make me an expert on relationships, but I know personally the power of dating your spouse. 

Let's face it. Life is rough. Life is demanding. On an average day, the average female has about 20 things going on all at once - more like 50 things going on at once if you have children.  I don't at this point, but between working full time and home responsibilities, not to mention taking a few classes... I'm pretty busy all the time.  Add the Hubby's grad classes and full time job to the mix and I wonder when we ever have time to see each other.

Many couples struggle with making their relationships work in the face of everyday stressors (like demanding jobs or a tight budget).  Add the constant time and energy drain of grad school and even fewer couples are keeping their relationships afloat.  If that's you, I feel your pain.  Been there! Am there!

Here's the good news... by making your relationship with your spouse a priority, you are investing in your future.

The Fountain of Youth

One of our recent adventure dates was a day trip to Ponce de Leon Springs State Park.  We live in the city, so it's nice to get away from the craziness and spend time in nature.  And I found a gray hair the other day...yikes... so it was off to the "fountain of youth". 

Us dipping our toes in the shallow creek bed

As with many of the dates I plan, this one was a surprise.  I typed up a clue and gave it to M the night before.

Commitment... And Everything That Goes With It

Photo Credit: Chicoine Photography & Design

Anniversaries inspire reflection for me.  I sit and reflect on the many blessings in my life and I think about how different my life would have been if I had not married M.  He is truly my perfect counterpart and I could not have asked for a better husband. 

Commitment is a common theme in books, videos and song lyrics - whether it's securing commitment, seeking commitment, or the breach of commitment - it's everywhere!