Since it is National Marriage Week and Valentine's Week, I thought I would re-post this from last year!
Update- We have been "dating" the whole year now and LOVE it!! I hope (if you are not already) that you start dating your husband again! Best thing I EVER did!!
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This week, in our Organize your Life series, we organized our priorities!! One of my priorities was to date my husband. This might seem strange to some of you, but my husband and I got married young and then had 3 children close together. We moved several times and never lived close to family. So…I never found the right babysitter plus, I was pregnant and tired or breastfeeding and my kids hated the bottle, plus I felt like we didn’t have enough money to go out and pay a sitter. Needless to say, we didn’t go on dates much! :(
We recently found some girls from our church that we know, like and trust to watch our kids! We planned on “dating” once a month but we moved it up to weekly/bi-weekly, ha! Since going out again, I realized how important it is for married couples to date. We feel like we are in high-school (when we met) again! :) It’s so fun!!! I LOVE getting ready and leaving the house instead of a date in. We feel closer and find it easier to talk away from the house, TV, internet, phone, kids, etc. I want to make it a priority to continue dating my husband! I know that sounds crazy but we love going out together again like we should! :)
Anyway, I found some great dating ideas on-line and thought I would share them with you.
101 Date Ideas
1. Paint-your-own pottery place
2. Paris theme night – get a baguette, some French wine, and cheese for dessert
3. Read Shakespeare to one another
4. Bake cookies together
5. Get up extra early, watch the sunrise, then make breakfast together
6. Attend a little league game
7. Watch an entire season of your favorite TV show
8. Go for a long drive
9. Planetarium
10. Art gallery
11. Play board games
12. Movie
13. Visit garage sales
14. Do a volunteer activity
15. Go dancing
16. Go to the driving range
17. Build a snowman
18. Ride go-carts
19. Rent a movie
20. Have a carpet picnic
21. Go to an arcade
22. Play Frisbee
23. Go kayaking
24. Go ice skating
25. Visit the pumpkin farm
26. Window shop
27. Go to ballet performance
28. Visit a place listed in an entertainment book
29. Bike riding
30. Rock climbing
31. Bowling
32. Haunted house
33. Out for coffee
34. Visit a flea market
35. Play bingo
36. Go to an opera
37. Swing by a bookstore
38. Visit another city
39. Go hear jazz or reggae
40. See an NBA game
41. Play in the batting cages
42. Vegas anyone?
43. Piano bar
44. Visit a psychic
45. Have lunch at a trendy new restaurant
46. Grab a fish fry
47. Grab a pint at an Irish pub
48. Chinese food and DVDs – the perfect mix
49. Attend a poetry reading
50. Attend an author reading from their latest fiction work
51. Go antiquing
52. Go on a brewery tour
53. Visit a winery
54. Attend a painting class
55. Visit an animal shelter – you may come home with a new pet
56. Go for a carriage ride
57. Visit the tourist spots in your hometown
58. Take a trip to the hobby store – pick out a project to work on for the afternoon
59. Take a walk – around a lake, in the moonlight, by the river, on the beach
60. Go to an ethnic festival
61. Go to a shrimp boil
62. Create a scrapbook
63. Attend a matinee
64. Visit the zoo
65. Go see a local band
66. Have lunch at a church festival
67. Go camping
68. Go hiking
69. Go rock climbing
70. Go to a party
71. Attend a farmer’s market
72. Have dinner at a new place
73. Try out a new cuisine
74. Go strawberry picking or visit an apple orchard
75. Take in a community theater performance
76. Attend a live, outdoor music night in your town
77. Go see fireworks
78. Take a yoga class
79. Visit an astrologist – see if the “stars” think you’re compatible
80. Go to a foreign film festival
81. Spend an afternoon watching old movies
82. Eat at a make-your-own pizza joint
83. Take a class at the rec department
84. Show your date where you lived as a kid
86. Go to breakfast at a great greasy spoon
87. Grab a champagne brunch
88. During holiday season, take a drive and view the lights
89. Visit an arboretum or botanical center
90. Attend a comedy show
91. Shoot a round of pool
92. Show your partner where you went to school as a kid
93. Make a meal from scratch together
93. Take a weekend trip in your state
94. Take a tour of a historical site in your town
95. Go bike trekking
96. Go golfing
97. Rent a canoe or kayak
98. Visit the State Fair
99. Go to a Renaissance Fair
100.Dinner cruise
101.Off-track betting
10 Cheap Dates
1) A trip to the dollar store
Peruse the aisles while you smile at the various objects one can sell for $1. There are usually one or two gems that will keep you in stitches long after you leave. Buy items to use on the rest of your date, like plastic glasses and plates for a picnic or snacks to take with you to a movie.
2) Coffee shop
People watch, read the newspaper, and hang out for hours with a cafe mocha or two. The close-set tables make it the perfect atmosphere for holding hands, while the busy setting is sure to give you plenty to talk about.
3) Bookstore
The larger chains today carry much more than just literature. Browse the music, DVD, and magazine sections. Get to know each other better by discussing your favorite choices in reading material or film.
4) Walk in the park
Get back to nature with a relaxing walk in the woods. Bring a field guide and see how many birds you can identify, or a bag lunch with whatever you might have in your refrigerator.
5) Craft projects
Remember paint by numbers? Or how about putting a scrapbook page together with construction paper and a photo of the two of you? Creative dates can help spark romantic feelings. After all, it’s the interesting, imaginative, and unique parts of us that make us truly attractive.
6) Museums
Many museums have discounted or free days. Watch the paper or call up your local museum and ask about dates and times with reduced admission prices. Make it your mission to see the culture of your city for under $5. It can be done!
7) Pay-what-you-can nights at the theater
Several performing arts companies today offer nights where youdecide what you pay. These performances are usually on the slower days of the run – a weekday or Sunday afternoon.
8) Fly a kite
The combination of a nice summer day, a gentle wind, and your partner make this an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
9) Pet Store
What’s more endearing than snuggling with a cute puppy while you talk about your love of animals with your date. Tell each other about the pets you each had growing up.
10) For all seasons
In winter, build a snowman. In spring, find some garage sales. In summer, go for a moonlit walk under the stars. In fall, take a Sunday drive and view the gorgeous scenery. Remember, it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as you're together. Planning dates with little or no money will allow you to see your relationship for the priceless value it really has.
I recently wrote a post, How to Feel Sexy! Make sure you read it before you head off on your date! Have fun! ;)
Do you date your spouse?
How often?
What is your favorite date? I would LOVE to know!! :)
What is your favorite “cheap” date?
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