Valentine’s Day, Every Day!

Thinking back, my husband and I have spent more than one Valentine’s Day apart over the past few years. With our busy schedules, we’ve gotten comfortable with the excuse, “Oh, it’s no big deal; we celebrate Valentine’s Day every day!”  But this year, we are making it a point to celebrate Valentine’s Day together.  Whatever we do, my husband knows we don’t have to do something extravagant. Heck, we won half the battle by inking the word “DATE” on the calendar and getting a sitter. 

Some of my favorite dates are the spontaneous and adventurous ones, like strolls to get ice cream or long bike rides together, just because. I remember in particular one date we went on before we got married. You know, dates during those carefree times were a lot easier. We went on a hike through the snow at night.  We both knew the trail really well; it was covered with well-packed snow and lined with aspen trees. I was a little scared – what with the potential of nocturnal animals and snow drifts – but my future husband, the snow expert, assured me we would be just fine. Well, that date turned out to be more than fine… it was amazing! The world around us was so wonderfully still and quiet, the sounds of our breath and footsteps were the only sounds that could be heard all around us. Until I slipped on a patch of ice and went down on my rear like nobody’s business!  We both started laughing so hard. It was the kind of laughter that leaves you sore the next day.  The whole experience was worth it for just that moment of laughter. Those crazy, unplanned moments make for the BEST dates, but you can’t try to force them, you can only enjoy every moment and hope for a few like them. 

So this Valentine’s Day, think outside the box. Do something that will set your date apart from the rest.  Who needs a five-course meal at a swanky restaurant where you are sandwiched so close to the next couple that your conversation-for-two turns into a shouting match? Grab a small meal and a bottle of whatever-makes-you-happy and set off on an adventure.  However you get there (by bike, by foot, by ski) and wherever you end up (in the middle of the woods or alone on the couch for the first time in months), just enjoy the time together. Make a little time this Valentine’s Day, you never know, it could be the one date you always remember, or at least the one you’re still giggling about 15 years later.  

We aren’t getting any younger, but we can sure act like it!  Happy Valentine’s Day.

Funk up your Date Night

Mix things up a bit. I know what you are thinking, "We rarely get out, Summer, we love going to the movies or going to dinner." I do too!! That is what my husband and I generally do on our date nights but we have tried to make a pack to spice things up a bit. Not in a lingerie kinda way. Although I need to work on that too(another post)! No, I mean spice things up activity-wise.

Before we had kids, we would have hike date nights. I remember falling on my butt one time cause it was in the middle of winter and the trails were packed with snow. We were out in the middle of darkness with headlamps on. It was beautiful cause the night sky was so clear, the air was so crisp and we were all alone. When I fell, we laughed super hard. You know one of those really great laughs that makes your face sore. In fact, I think I laughed so hard I peed my pants...hmm, probably too much info, but that was a really good date!

Well, those are the events we are going for. Night tennis, night hikes, bowling, bike to dinner,
"surprise me" date(where one person gets to surprise one week and the other the next). There are so many different ways to make your date night different and special. Since we don't get many of them with our busy lives, shouldn't we make them really count. And, if you don't like it, you can go back to the old stand by of dinner and a movie, that never gets old. Sneak in some M&M just to feel like the spice is there. :)