Date Idea: Boot Camp

Okay, so this may not be the most romantic date...and in many cases may not take place at night, but it just might be a great way to connect with your mate.  I say so from experience.  Ramy and I are in the middle of [a 3x a week for 6 weeks] boot camp.  And though it is tough, our mutual support and encouragement get us through it.  Better yet, after you get over the initial shook of boot camp, it feels really great to start exercising regularly again.  If you aren't up for boot camp or need childcare, hit up the gym together instead.   Many gyms offer free childcare to their members and have plenty of classes you can take together.  Either way, set a goal and chase after it together.  Then after your goal is met, take that beach body out for a real deal date with your mate!

Tried & True: Dominique & Dustin His & Her Dates

Dustin & Dominique are the cutest couple.  They have been married for a year & a half now and the honeymoon phase they are STILL in is infectious.  This last weekend they were both telling me about how they have been investing time and energy in planning each date and taking turns as the planner.  I asked them to send me an email with the details of both dates they each recently planned.  I got the email in my inbox and love how Dominique gives tons of detail and Dustin's plan is simply stated.  Very apropos accounts of his & her date nights, if I do say so myself.

Stuck in a Date Night Rut?

Some of the best advice I ever received was from my good friend Jenny.  After complaining for probably way too long about being in a rut, tripping in a hole stuck, she said, "Why don't you do the opposite for the week?"  When I asked her what she meant, she explained that if I normally wake up late in the morning to instead for one week wake up with the sun, if I would normally stay in and watch TV on a Thursday night, instead go out to dinner, if I am always punctual, try being a few minutes late.  And at the end of one week, I will have gained a different perspective through these diverse experiences.  I would then have the knowledge to make a better choice about what I want.  And you know what, it worked.

(On somewhat of a side note, this opposite week experiment in my life occurred the same week that I met my husband Ramy... long story short, I was asked to pick up a lunch shift at the restaurant I worked at which I normally would not do... but it was opposite week so I did.  Low and behold Ramy came to lunch that day and the rest is history)

Anyway, all this to say that this concept can be applied to date night too.  If you and your mate are in a date night rut, take a month (or 4 date nights) and do the opposite.  If you normally hang out on the couch watching Netflix, then take that movie date to a theater, if you normally go to the same restaurant, agree to have dinner somewhere you've never been before, if you always stay within a 2 mile radius of your house, venture out across the railroad tracks, if you normally go out dressed up try dressing down (or vice versa.)  This list could go on and on, but you get the point.  You may not love all the results, but sometimes learning what you don't like is just as valuable as learning what you do like.  At the end of your 4 week date night experiment, not only will you have 4 new adventures under your belt, you will have gained perspective on what date night could be.  And who knows, it could change your life forever too.  

Disclaimer: I should also note that opposite dates should work towards the positive...I am not advocating anything that involves breaking the law, or doing something that makes your partner uncomfortable!

Best date night movie in theaters now?

And the winner is.... Bridesmaids.  

Though it has a name that might infer this is only a chick flick, I have heard that is geared to entertain both men and women alike.  I can't wait to see it!  Maybe for the next date night I get to plan. 

Take a vote and let us know what movie you would recommend 

for date night or which movie you want to see this week! 

If you have another recommendation, tell us

 about it in the comment section below!

Date Night Idea: Happy Hour

clock available at Restoration Hardware

I like the idea of an hour that has intentions to make me happy.  And so why not pair it up with Date Night.  There are so many great perks:  Get out of the house earlier, a light fare of inexpensive food & drinks, sparkling conversation, and for you married folk a chance to get home and roll around in the hay without worrying about losing too much sleep over it.  Just make sure you have a safe ride home!

Way Back When

  This is the very first picture Ramy and I ever took together.  It wasn't on our first date but it was certainly during one of our first date nights.  I just came across it and thought I would share.  

Tried & True: Whittney & Craig On Married Life after Baby

I have heard many call 2011 "The Year of the Baby" and rightfully so.  It seems that every where I look there is a a stroller with a newborn crossing my path or another celebrity pregnant .  It also might just be my impression since I recently had a new bundle of joy earlier this year... As did my sister.  

My sweet sister, Whittney, became a new mother just one month ago.  There is something really neat about watching her in this transition. Not only is she a great mama, but she also holds true to her title as great wife.  Yesterday afternoon I got a chance to chat with her and asked if she would share a little about how she keeps her marriage going strong after the new baby.

Here is what she had to say:

Life after the baby is certainly different.  There is not as much US time anymore.  Craig and I can't just stop and do whatever we want, like drop everything and go out to dinner just because I don't want to cook.  We also used to do our household chores together, like doing the dishes after dinner.  But now, I would much rather do it on my own, so he can go keep an eye on the baby.  (I don't know what it is, but I still can't rest easy if the baby is out of our sight.)

A couple weeks after having our little guy, I decided it would be a good idea to start getting him on a schedule, esp at night so I can get a little more sleep. At 8 o'clock I would begin; I'd feed him, bathe him, dress him, read to him, and finally put him down to sleep.  Then I would be exhausted from the full day of activity and middle of the night feedings, and I would zonk out too, thus leaving very little time for Craig and me to connect.  I could tell after a few days that this wasn't going to work.  Not having connection time was going to wear on us.  

I decided that I needed to be intentional about making some time for us to hang out.  So I moved the baby's routine up earlier.  That way I could put the baby to sleep, and we still had a moment to be together.  The first night I did this Craig made a comment, something like, "Nice, now we get to spend some time together!"  I felt kinda bad, like maybe I had been ignoring him.  

Now, after we put the baby to bed, we make dinner together.  He barbecues while I make the sides, and then we sit down together and talk.  He asks about my day, I ask about his.  I tell him about the baby and he fills me on how work went.  We talk about our future plans and stuff we want to do.  Then we will just relax.  Sometimes we will turn on the tv and see what's on prime time.  Though we are zoning out on television, its nice to just hold hands and know he is right there.    

Even though having a baby can be sometimes stressful and exhausting, it has certainly brought us closer.  I love watching him with the baby and seeing that we created something so beautiful together.  It's also cool watching Craig cus I think he never thought he would have this in his life.  Before me and the baby, he was set in his ways.  He was happy the way things were.  But once we started dating it opened up a whole new world of possibilities.  And so it's cool to watch how he has grown and fallen in love with this new life.  

When asked what advice I have for new parents, I say make sure you find ways to stay connected: have dinner together, write a post-it on the fridge with a sweet message, hold hands.  Oh, and don't be afraid to ask for help.  I tend to be very independent... I have the "I can do this myself" mentality, but it can become exhausting especially with a new baby in the house.  I have learned that it is great bonding time when he helps me with the baby or whatever I am working on.  

The next step?  Well, Craig just asked, "When can we get babysitter and go out for dinner... just the two of us?" 

Um, soon, maybe....