Wondering what Mommy Homework is??? Each week you will have an “assignment” here to share in our comments here on this site. You will love this-both sharing AND enjoying answers by others. Some of them, I compile into an ebook (contributors can resell as a product of their own–be sure to submit your email and full name when you register so I can credit you appropriately!).
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Ready for this week’s MH? This is a good one!
Our topic this week is “Shoestring Date Ideas.”
Your Assignment This Week…
Gearing up for Valentine’s Day? Got something sweet planned? OR, looking for some ideas for dating and romancing your sweetheart on a shoestring budget? Well, let’s join together and share ideas for dating on a shoestring. Here is your assignment:
Share 5 ideas for “dates” with your sweetheart that are shoestring dates. What do you do? What are some fun things you do to kindle the romance in your marriage while still minding your budget?
You know that some of the most romantic things only cost YOU and YOUR TIME. Just share! And, don’t forget to look here for some fresh new ideas for romancing YOUR sweetie on a shoestring budget. 🙂 DIG IN!
I can’t wait!
Love ya!
Cindy
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Deadline–Friday at midnight CST.
I have already answered this one time and came back on to read others ideas. I hope I remember all 5.
1. When our girls are gone to a grandparents house, we love to make a late night trip to Walmart. Usually just to look or get household items, but this is remeniscent of our days before children.
2. After the girls go to bed we will curl up on the couch or in bed and watch a movie.
3. Curling up in bed and talking.
4. When the girls are gone, staying up late, cleaning house and moving furniture around. Again, from days before children.
5. Driving around listen to our favorite music. Usually at night, but anytime will do.
Hey, I did remember them all. Go me, the old brain is working better today than I thought. LOL
I look forward to seeing others ideas.
Thanks,
Shannon Depew
I only have one thing to share right now..
That would be Saturday night movies. Hubby and I would rent a couple of movies, put the kids to bed, pop some popcorn, and grab a soda and sit really close.
I especially like the chick-flicks because that gets my husband into a more loving mood. I usually get a face full of wonderful kisses…
We do this more frequently than anything else. For now, it works for us. 🙂
I’m looking forward to other recommendations.
I’m looking forward to hearing others ideas. Since we have 2 toddlers, frugal is crucial. We’re not too exciting, but here are a few things we like to do:
1. Game Night: Make up some favorite beverages. We love playing games together. This is a great “date” because we can do it when the kids are in bed from our living room. Some favorites: Settlers of Catan, Scrabble, Memoir 44, Race for the Galaxy.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ Board Game Geek has reviews of many games and pictures and information about games that have been created by others.
2. Coffee shop: We love to go to a local coffee shop to critique each other’s writing.
3. Read-alouds: We like to snuggle on the couch with a read-aloud and a hot beverage. We have read various Christian nonfiction, homescholing books, and classics. We usually don’t make it very far because we get into some good discussions. Currently our discussion book is The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer.
4. Fish store: Yes, I know this is a strange one, but my sweetie is really into fish. We find it relaxing to walk around the fish store and just watch the fish together.
5. Cooking together: We enjoy cooking together on the weekends. We especially enjoy learning to make a new cuisine. On the one hand, I guess this isn’t always frugal…but can be frugal. And usually is cheaper than eating out even if we make a more elegant meal.
Julia Reffner
I DO have something wonderful planned to bless my husband this year, but it’s a secret so I can’t write it here! So here are 5 OTHER ideas for inexpensive, fun dates we’ve done-
1) In the past we have traded babysitting with another nearby couple and go out on a date for an hour or two- grabbing something quick to eat, going on a hike in the woods, walking on the beach (our town is on the shores of Lake Michigan). When they need a break we’ve watched their kids for them. We’ve only done this a couple of times and need to do more of it! Even though the break might be an hour or two it’s always beneficial to strengthening our relationship!
2) Once a month my husband and I have committed to having a date night right in our home together. I feed the kids early and then they watch a kid movie while we eat adult food and have adult conversation. I bring out a table cloth, nice dishes and light a candle. It’s always a good break from the norm and great way to connect. The kids always like when we have date night! 🙂
3) Some nights after we put the kids to bed we watch the video podcast Marriage Uncensored through itunes together on the computer. It’s a free christian podcast discussing various marriage topics for about 25 minutes.
4) When we have fires inside our indoor wood fireplace or outside in the backyard we always know that after we put the kids to bed the plan is to sit with all of the lights out and snuggle and talk together by the fire until it dies down.
5) Sometimes we buy an ice cream or some other treat and don’t let the kids know about it. When they go to bed we sneak it out and enjoy it together. 🙂
Just a few of the ideas that I came up with for this one!
1. Picnics at a local metropark
2. Riding bikes around the neighborhood or local park
3. Borrow dvds from the local library (ours has a wonderful selection)
4. Leave the kids with grandma and come back home to watch movies
5. go window shopping at the local mall (do not buy anything) get a coffee and dessert together.
Having a good date on a shoestring can often be just a case of ceasing the moment and making the best of the circumstances, but even so it is not something to always leave to chance or you may find that a long time has passed since you and your honey have spent some “quality” time together.
Although going to a good restaurant or away on a long weekend together is wonderful some of the best and most fun dates are those which don’t cost the earth. There are some seasons in our lives when we have to be creative in order to have our date time – but this can add to the fun!
We live in the UK and don’t celebrate independence day here (or the great escape as we like to call it lol) but we do use fireworks on bon fire night 5th November. A lovely cosy date night is to pack up a flask of hot soup or hot chocolate and some snacks and drive to the top of a hill and watch the fireworks while snuggling under a cosy blanket.
I don’t watch much TV but I do like to pick one regular favourite show to watch each week with my sweetie once the little one has gone to bed. When that series ends we simply pick a new favourite – but is just for the two of us and we look forward to it.
We live in a city, but when we get away on holiday there is nothing more romantic than a moonlit walk along the beach late at night. If you live anywhere near a beach or lake don’t miss out on this – it’s the best even in the winter!
One of our local parks has a wonderful pets corner with bunnies, sheep, goats and even lamas a very cute walk with your cutie.
How about a special grown up dinner, after the kids go to bed, or better still send them to Grandma’s for the night. Cook something that you both love to eat and make sure you lay a beautiful table and add some candles. You can even have some music at the ready so you can go dancing afterwards.
Today when I look out of the window it reminds me of Narnia as there is so much snow out there. So how about ceasing this moment and building a snowman with your love dove? And for the more adventurous what about a snowball fight, or even some sledging? But it has to be followed by cosy snuggling to warm up afterwards. You could even put the electric blanket on before you go out so that you can dive under the cosy covers when you get back!
Well my 5 favorite shoestring dates are:
1. Take a romantic ride too look at the sites you always miss when you are rushing around just “doing life” Will only cost you a little gas money.
2. Pack a lunch an sit on the Beach and enjoy (ok in the Bahamas this is easy)
3. I make a yummy flavored coffee and put it in a craft and take it to your husbands work and share a cup of coffee and wonderful time.
4. on a day I have someone to watch the kids I tag along with my husband on his running around for his business. Time sitting in traffic takes on a new meaning – time together.
5. Our favorite thing by far is feed the kids before us, something simple and tuck them in bed and have a late quiet dinner together, usually something the kids don’t like but we love. It is our version of a quiet, romantic dinner at home. So wonderful and no check to pay at the end of dinner (although I do except tips *wink*
I find with yound kids it is very hard to make the time and my husband is really to busy to do the planning. I really try to take the effort to get something together at least once a month. This really is a marriage saver.
Bahama Blessings
Heidi Jo Kemp
Our favorite shoestring date by far is taking a walk together.
Next favorite is waking up before the kids and cuddling and talking for a while.
Next is cuddling up after everyone else goes to bed and watching a movie together.
Another favorite, when hubby is having a late evening at the offfice I like to feed the kids and get them to bed and then he and I can eat together.
Over our 21 1/2 years of being married, we have had to utilize a shoestring budget more than not for our continued dating experience! 🙂
Here are 5 of our most common and fun dates:
1) Doing our grocery shopping together. During which, we both bought something to treat ourselves with (we would eat it when the kids were in bed that night).
2) We would buy a Wendy’s Frosty (99 cents) and share it or if we were particularly “rich” that week, we’d each get one.
3) A long drive in the local canyon (about 4 miles from our house) during all seasons. It’s peaceful, beautiful and we had time to talk of goals, kids, things going on, etc.
4) A walk around the block at night time (just after the sun goes down). Nothing like a moonlit night for a walk! 🙂
5) Renting a movie (or borrowing one from our library) and watching it with a favorite snack or two after the kids are in bed.
Okay, so I have a couple more:
6) We have in the past gone to furniture stores or car lots and “dreamed” about things “after our ship comes in” (we’ve put together a lot of businesses; some have succeeded, some have not). These are fun dates because it ignites a little hope when really things don’t appear so hopeful. We don’t do it anymore because our focus has changed… we’re not “into” the material things anymore.
7) Dancing in our family room to our favorite music. (Yes, he still sweeps me off my feet!) 😉
8) This is probably my husband’s favorite, as he chooses this one more than any of the others; we have a $1 movie theater here that charges 75 cents for Tuesday movies. So when there’s a great movie there, we’ll take it in!
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions! I love it!
Cindy Richards
These are some of our favorite special things to do:
1. Sharing something for dessert after putting the kids to bed. It seems to always be sweeter when no little voices are asking for some 😉
2. We close up our hen house after the chickens have put themselves to bed. It is a nice little walk just the 2 of us in our back yard–holding hands & stargazing.
3. Playing outdoors. This last snowfall we had a snowball fight–just DH & I while the children were tending to the animals. We have also had a hay fight with loose hay while putting up bales. Something out of our ordinary to get the heart rate going and laugh.
4. Cuddle up together and watch a movie–with or without children
5. DH earns gift cards as safety awards from work. We save these up and my MIL watches the children while we have a real date–usually a Saturday afternoon or Tuesday afternoon–cheap movies and free (or nearly) meal.
Enjoying reading these wonderful ideas.
Blessings!
Hillary in Indiana
Shoestring date night is the only way we get a date.
1. Redbox free movie Monday. We “rent” a movie from Redbox at McDonalds come home and put the kids to bed early and get to watch our movie.
2. Share a good book together after the kids are in bed.
3. Send the kids to Grandma’s house and fix a nicer dinner with candles and soft music.
4. Go for a drive in the country (sometimes we even take the kids with us on this date.)
5. This one probably sounds silly , but we did this a couple times last year getting ready for special music at church, and again this is a send the kids to Grandma’s house. We take our accompaniment CD to church (we live VERY close to church) and rehearse together with no one else around. We spent 2 years of highschool singing together and sang in a community choir together before and right after our oldest was born. Spending time together sharing something we both love that will result in a blessing to others later is one of the best date night activities we can come up with.
Mostly I think time together (even doing chores around the house) is a “date” for us. We have been blessed with each other and spending time together reinforces the bound we have.
Cariann
For 24 years my sweet hubby and I practiced the art of shoestring dates! Make that 28 years…we dated for four years before we married! I learned quickly it wasn’t the amount spent on a date that made it special, it was the attitude of my heart. Babysitters were always a consideration in our budget…no money for one! We only lived near family for a very short time. That necessitated creativity. Here are five of our favorite creative ideas:
1. Elementary spring carnival (or fall carnival) – this was our first date, which was a dud in my mind at the time (attitude was wrong). Looking back, it really was a cool idea…free, fun, definitely creative!
2. A “safari” along the river – our second date, a lot of fun taking a nature walk along the river that ran along our college campus. Hubby and I still enjoy walking and holding hands and dreaming together. Hubby even fought off pretend alligators while pretending to Marlon Perkins on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom…I think I just dated myself!
3. Planning a late dinner and a movie – By planning, I really mean planning! I would shorten afternoon rest time, rest while the kids rested, feed the kids a simple, early supper and send them to bed early! Fortunately, they knew bed time meant do not get out of bed. Prepare a fun meal (simple or fancy) just for the two of us to eat by candlelight (even a sandwich taste better by candlelight) to eat while we watched a movie together. We still do this, it’s just a little harder to convince teenagers they need to go to bed early!
4. Lunch dates are a favorite! I pack a picnic lunch and carry to hubby’s office and share a few minutes together. He’s a pastor and the church is across the street. We’ve done this ever since the kids were old enough to leave by themselves. As a matter of fact, it’s how I trained the oldest to babysit! Back then the church was next door.
5. Going for ice cream or a milkshake!! After supper, while the kids clean the kitchen, hubby and I will hop in the car and run get desert! Sometimes we have desert for supper! It’s cheaper than a whole meal! The kids are older now and can watch each other which allows us more freedom. We can sit down and enjoy the sweets – each others company and the desert!
I am blessed to have a husband who values our relationship and still pursues dating me!
Here to Serve,
Lyndra Romack
My favorite shoestring date is when my husband starts a fire in the basement fireplace (which is all the time lately – gotta love the winter). Then we put in one of our favorite movies. Then we take turns giving each other a reflexology session from a book I bought. It relaxes us, brings us closer together by skin contact and its cheap! Of course this is AFTER the 5 little boys go to bed so its just US time.
Karen Gebes
One of my favorite cheap dates is when my neighbor will watch my girls for an hour or two. We steal away to a local coffee shop (or McDonalds if we don’t want to drive too far) and I get a Latte or a Mocha while hubby gets something non coffee. We just sit and visit for a while. We don’t talk much while we are there. For some reason we do most of our worthwhile talking in the car.
I also love to just go driving with hubby. We’ve explored the end of quite a few roads in our area, and had a lot of great chats doing it.
For an at home date.. I hope this is appropiate….
When my hubby is home on the weekends, his showers usually correspond with the girls’ naptimes. Sometimes I’ll put a movie in the DVD player in their room, and I’ll slip into the shower with him. I know it’s odd, but we get some great chats while in the shower. And I enjoy helping him cut his hair and wash off. Sometimes it leads on to some real fun, sometimes not. But either way it’s some special uninterrupted time for us.
My hubby has been working nights for awhile now, so we have had to become more creative in carving out time for each other. Here are some of our favorites.
1.) Wandering around a large flea market. We pretend we are shopping for our dream home and what we would put in it.
2.) State and local parks are just waiting to be explored! We have found several near us with all kinds of interesting things to do!
3.) On dh’s night off, I stay up late and we watch movies, or chat with each other. Sometimes we even IM each other on the computer, secret silly messages, just to keep life fun 🙂 The next morning the kids have cereal but they think that is a treat for them LOL
4.) Pretend to be a tourist in your own hometown, go to the local Chamber of Commerce and find out what is available to do for tourists. We found out we could check out tapes that were an audio tour of Amish country and are planning to take the drive together this spring.
5.) One of our favorite ways to spend time together is BOB time. BOB time is mid afternoon and it means Body on Bed. All of the kids have to go to there beds, they can read, do homework, take a nap, whatever but it has to be on there bed. When everybody is laying down, I get to go snuggle with my DH while he wakes up. We really don’t do this often enough!! It is such a nice way for him to start his day, and for me it is like a re-start button 🙂
We have found that trading babysitting, with our friends is a lifesaver, but we learned a long time ago now, that going on “a date” isn’t nearly as important as making time for each other where we are right now. With small kids dates will come when there is time, and money, and nobody is sick (argh :), but just finding time to give to each other in little ways can mean so much!!
Kimberly Utt
Our dates have centered around children for the past 12 yrs. Since that time we have only had 2 dates with out the children.
1. We have a family night. During this time we play games or watch a good movie from our family library.
2. Cook a special dinner with a special dessert. Around our place dessert isn’t very often event so it is a special event.
3. After the kids go to bed we talk together about the day and what has happened.
4. Something special that happens at our house is once or twice a month, Daddy makes dinner for us. Then we all help clean the kitchen up.
5. We do special projects on the computer. This goes back to our dating days when we did most of our dating around the computers and school and church work.
6. Attend a gospel music concert online. It used to be that we would go to a Southern Gospel Music concert once a month or so. Now that we have children and one of them can’t handle the music, we attend online or through the SkyAngel TV network.
7. We set aside special time to send the kids outside and doing special projects around the house that need to be gotten done, I’m waiting for spring so that I can get started on the projects again.
Doing small things that don’t cost anything or little of nothing can mean just as much as those that you spend a pile on. We are always trying to find ways to do something new and bring our relationship closer together. I am enjoying reading the other suggestions.
Orilla Crider
I love everyone’s ideas. We have used many of them. With teenagers it gets easier to get out because we don’t need a sitter. It was easier to have a date at home when the kids were all in bed by 8:00.
We often run errands together. Even if it is just to the gas station or a quick trip to the grocery store. Sometimes it is only 15 minutes, but we can get several “mini dates” in a week.
We occasionally will send the kids upstairs so we can see a movie, but it is easier and more cozy to take the laptop and watch a movie in bed.
It has been a while, but I have set up a folding table in the bedroom so we can eat alone. My husband picks up dinner from our favorite restaurant (One entree is enough for both of us) while I get dishes and put on music.
Not quite shoestring, but the Entertainment book (www.entertainment.com) is a great help to the budget. It has buy one get one free offers for restaurants, entertainment, museums and more.
Kristi Blackwood
Here are a few of our favorite “date night” ideas:
1. We usually eat out once a month together, sometimes ordering and even eating in the vehicle, but we’ll take this time!
2. We like to have time to “talk” and discuss the day or plans for the week, usually early in the morning or late at night. I probably enjoy this the most, but it is encouraging to plan the week together.
3. TV in bed, we do splurge and watch a show or a good movie together sometimes!
4. A walk together is always nice and relaxing!
5. Grocery shopping! yes, since we do not have a lot of time alone, we try to use our outtings to the fullest and grab our groceries when we’re out! I really enjoy help from my husband and him taking time to assist me ( not always as much as I want or the exact help I desire, but I’ll take any help!).
Tina Ketchens
Ok, here goes. Doesn’t seem like we get the time for 5 ideas but I’ll try.
If you have a few people that every once in a while will take your kids for a couple of hours it would sure help, and by once in a while I mean once every few months for each friend and make sure you do this even more often for them. Just seems to work out better.
1. Drive to someplace within 15 minutes that is beautiful to the two of you. Mountains, meadow, wooded, desert, doesn’t matter as long as the two of you love it. The key is it’s close so as not to use up your whole 2 hours.
2. Take time after the kids are in bed to share what the Lord has placed on your heart today. Pray over it together. Listen to what your hubby has to say, the Lord will bless you more through him.
3. Drop the kids with another friend for a couple of hours, (yes, probably another month out, it’s ok) come home and do those projects together that have been put off for years ” ’cause the kids are little and we just can’t do it now.” You would be amazed at what a wonderful time the two of you are having when you are accompishing common goals and or projects.
4. OK, ran out of friends, call grandma the next month. You should be able to get maybe 4 hours or more from this one. Go back home. How does steak and potatoes with corn on the cob sound. A fresh salad with all the goodies. Steak is quick, so are microwaved potatoes and corn on the cob. Just make sure you fixed the salad ahead of time. Yes, steak is expensive and these are supposed to be inexpensive… well at this point I’ve had 4 months to save up for 2 steaks, I can do this. If at this point you can’t think of anything you would like to do, watch a movie, but I’m sure you’ll think of something.
5. Here’s an easy one. Go for a walk. Take the kids, they will meet up with friends along the way and want to stay a while. LET THEM!! At this point you haven’t even used up your every once in a while times you set up with those friends of yours. Take a good long walk and pick the kids up on your way back home.
Ok, done rambling and off to plan a couple of hours alone this weekend with my awsome hubby.
Cassie
Shoestring date ideas — I like this topic! I have just a couple of twists on the idea to share.
1) Pick up a decadent dessert from a favorite restaurant to share. Either
a) go to a local park or place the children can play while you and your spouse
indulge and visit.
b) wait until the children are in bed, snuggle together and then indulge
and visit
2) Catch up on a favorite tv show through hulu.com We canceled cable long
ago but do have a few shows we like to watch. If I’m lucky, I get a foot rub
while we watch.
3) Take the whole family to a local nature area. Let everyone hike, explore,
collect. Occasionally snag a few moments to perch on rock or lean
against a tree and share dreams, hopes, etc
4) Find a park or campground that allows open fires. Sit under the stars
and roast marshmallows together.
Bobbi Beeson
Great topic! I love having some new ideas to try. Here’s a few of our things, in no particular order:
1. Movie night: Once or twice a month we get a couple movies from Blockbuster, one for us and one for the kids … they watch their’s in the playroom and we watch ours in the living room.
2. Exercise together: We’ve created a little gym area in a corner of our basement and we do our workouts together.
3. Gotta love grandparents! We are blessed to have both my in-laws and my dad and stepmom within 10 minutes of us, so we are able to drop the girls every once in a while so we can go out for dessert somewhere a little fancy. And the girls have a bonus of close relationships with godly grandparents … definitely a win/win for us!
4. Stocking/Easter basket stuffers: Granted, this occurs only a couple times a year, but I learned that my dh loves picking out little stuff for the girls … so for the last 3-4 years, I’ve made sure to arrange for the girls to be at grandma’s house so that we could shop for stuffers together. It’s so fun to pick out silly stuff like shaped bath soap, candy, stickers together … and we always try to find something extra wacky to add … we try to top each other in finding the craziest thing … makes for lots of laughs together!
5. Tea time: My dh and I both love tea, so when he gets home from work, I make us each a cup and I sit down with him and listen to him talk about his day. Makes for a nice transition for him coming home.
Jennifer Neuman
Some things we do are
1. Drop the kids off at the babysitter and do our grocery shopping. When we are done we will sometimes get a milk shake or something.
2. In the summer time, sit out on the porch and talk
3. In the winter, put the kids to bed early and watch a movie.
4. We haven’t had the opportunity to do this yet, but I like the idea of swapping babysitting with another couple.
5. In the winter, I’ll go downstairs with him while he fixes the fire for the last time and we will sit and talk.
Becky Yoder
nizhoni1996@yahoo.com
Most of our dates are the on a shoestring kind. . .
What we have done lately:
1) Curl up with the laptop and watch old TV shows on hulu.com (not everything there is recommendable and some of the commercials are not appropriate for children even in shows that would be)
2) We are teaching our children to stay by themselves for short periods of time. So dh and I will take the timer and go for a walk. Walk 7 minutes away from the house and turn around and walk home. Just those few minutes are so enjoyable.
3) We got one of those videos that is supposed to teach you how to dance, and we are enjoying learning to dance in our livingroom.
Shoestring dates with hubby.
We like to make a special dinner and sit at the table with all the lights out and burn a candle during dinner.
We usually use our regular shopping trips to have our “date”. Sometimes instead of grocery shopping, we go to other stores that we just enjoy going to together. This is too hard to do with the kids, so it makes it special when we can go alone.
Movie night. After the kids are tucked in, we start up a special movie just for us.
We go for walks on our land. Even if the kids come along, they usually ride their bikes up ahead and we walk and talk.
Take the kids to the park and while they are playing, we enjoy our time alone together talking.
Sitting on the porch in the swing, just the two of us.
Julie Bertsch
Hello ladies;
Here are my top 5 date ideas with my hubby
1. Wednesday nights at our a church Father does an apologetics class. It is a light meal (yummy, yummy food made by a group of lovely older ladies who attend with their hubby’s) followed by our lecture. It is fabulous. Matt and I relax, chat on the way their and home, learn and just generally enjoy the eveing.
2. My oldest is 17, so we are fortunate to have a live in sitter!
Matt and I sometimes go to the beach alone in the early evening and just walk and talk and gather shells until darkness falls. We love being at the ocean, the sound just washes all the stress from your body and mind.
3. Barnes & Noble. Doesn’t sound very original, but this is one of those things I love and hubby doesn’t care for. But, he loves to do it for me….. So maybe once a year we go, get desert and coffee and browse, read and chat.
4. When we have a ‘project’ like painting a room to do, we make a date of it. We are both pretty high strung, and enjoy being busy…. So, we make a project a couples event. It is so much fun for us. And, the memories of doing it together and the fun we had doing it resurface whenever we walk in that room.
5. With children ranging in age from 5 – 17, we are rarely up later than all of them unless it is Christmas eve……..
So, many days when my hubby comes home from work, we close our bedroom door and spend a half hour chatting, snuggling, talking and generally reconnecting. The kids know not to knock unless it is actually important, and we get that little time alone. This is the best of all.
Trish Bevill
1. We like to snuggle up together at night with a movie. =)
2. Wander around Staples together, looking at office supplies. I guess we’re weird that way.
3. Take a long lunch on days when our daughter’s at school and there’s nobody else in the house…
4. Read together. My husband likes it when I read out loud to him.
5. Sometimes (this is pretty rare, and so even more special), when our daughter’s at school, we’ll drive to this cute little town about 20 minutes away and just walk around window shopping and holding hands. =D
We have fun anyway we can get it and cheap tends to be what it needs to be.
We love going to a nature reserve here in town that has animals and trails to walk or run on. Neither one of us are ready to give up time with our son so he comes with us almost everywhere, which sometimes limits us, but makes it so we are more creative too. We think of places we want to share with him and usually that is our next outing. Being that he just turned a year and a half we get to do lots of things like the zoo, indoor playground, hike trails with a whole new perspective and lots of new pictures. We also do things that we would have never thought of for dates, but since we’re all together and having fun it’s perfect.
We also do the after hours date night thing too. A movie or TV show or just chatting that we wouldn’t couldn’t do with the little one around since we focus on him rather then anything else when he’s around. Plus he’s just more fun then anything else could ever be.
Sorry not a lot of ideas for you all, unless you have kids that is.
have a great weekend and God Bless,
Gretchen Morrison
Here our a few of our favorite ideas:
1) We love to go antiquing when my parents can give us a date out. This usually has to take place on a Saturday or weekday because most antique shops do not stay open late. It’s nice when you find a big antique mall that will stay open until 8 or 9pm but that’s rare. It’s still one of our favorite ways to be together.
2) We also enjoy going to the library and getting to look through the books undisturbed or to a local bookstore and searching through the books but usually not buying.
3) It’s nice to go get a small treat after we’ve gone antiquing or the bookstores (mentioned above) so that we can just talk about our time together, what we saw and just plain catching up sometimes.
4) We enjoy hiking, curling up and watching a movie together, or just window shopping. We’ve even gone to local large hardware stores or landscape stores and take a notebook and do some “dreaming” about household projects and costs so that we can have time to think and talk a bit more.
5) When I was pregnant with our first child, we didn’t have a TV and I enjoyed listening to my hubby read to me in the evenings. We went through the entire Chronicles of Narnia series during that pregnancy. It was a very special time together and a fond memory.
6) Finding a neat small town that has a town square with stores to go in and maybe take a lunch or snack to sit down and eat together or eating at a local restaurant. There are so many neat places to visit when we take time to look.
Nancy Mosley
We have 4 teenagers now so it has gotten easier to go out together. It’s harder to have a date at home unless we are in our bedroom because they want to do it also. They now go to bed at the same time as us instead of 9:00 when they were younger. When they were younger we would have a date after they went to bed or we would trade babysitting with a friend or my sister.
A date on the town
1. Dinner & a Movie at the Dollar Theater
2. Grocery shopping
3. Going to a store we have never been to and that the teens wouldn’t care about like World Market or a wine store. Mostly we just look but occasionally we get something like fancy beer and candies.
4. A walk in the park
5. Apple bee’s at 10:00 at night
At home dates
1. Order Pizza and watch a movie at home
2. Evening tea & dessert
3. Make a dessert together
4. Talk
5. Read together
Dates on a shoestring…
1. Rent (or buy) FIREPROOF the movie and watch it together
2. Similar lines: Get the book “The Love Dare” and do it together
3. Share daily devotionals
4. Trading back rubs while watching a movie together (ok, perhaps no one really pays attention to the movie, so perhaps candles and some music would be better)
5. Both of us really enjoy movies and a couple of TV shows, so one of our favorite ways to spend time together is just to turn the lights off and watch together after the littles are in bed.
Heather (TGMama)
– A movie on the laptop on bed
– cuddling, watching a movie on the futon after the kids are in bed (sometimes by a fire)
– showers together
– hot tub before the kids are up in the morning or after they are in bed at night
– lay on the trampoline and stargaze (this one usually involves the kids and the dog but it is still fun)
– lately on Valentines day the kids and I bake a heart shaped pizza crust in the cake pan, take it out make the pizza then make a heart shaped cake. Not sure if we will be doing that next week or not (at 8 months pregnant it just does not sound fun).
– we have dropped the kids off with Aunt or Grandma and gone shopping too.
– dancing together after the kids go to bed (although a few weeks ago DD organized a family dance after dinner, it was fun).
Rachel Stevens
5 things that we do for a shoestring date:
1. borrow movies from the library and watch them after the kids are bed.
2. drop the kids off at a friends house and go home and enjoy the quiet
3. go to Culvers for a single scoop without kids!
4. go to Walmart without the kids before hunting season and take our time looking.
5. go visit grandma and just drive around!
1) Making hot choclate and playing cards or any kind of game.
2) Going to coffee house and sharing a drink and treat. just hanging out talking or playing a game.
3) my husband likes to drive and we find long car rides create an atmosphere of inimacy. driving along the coast is great
5 Ideas for shoestring dates!
1. Dollar movie!
You can go to the movies for a lot less if you can wait until it gets there! The movie is only a dollar per person!
2. A Nature Park!
We have a nature park here that is free! it is called Martin Nature Center and there are beautiful walking trails and lakes. It can be very romantic if you go without the kids!
3. Dinner out (on the cheap)
You can go out to eat on a budget if you refrain from getting appetizers and pricey drinks. Better yet go to a mexican restaraunt that serves free chips and dip! You get free appetizers! Forgo the drinks and just have water and split an entree and it won’t cost too much and you can just sit and have a nice talk.
4. Movie and book store!
We go and look around for a while at the movie/bookstore and then take a movie home. So, movies in is a good alternative also to the theatre.
5. Diner at home.
Set a romantic table and have dinner at home.
Rodna James
It seems like we’re in a rut as far as dating is concerned.
Typically, we might watch a show together. Movies from the library are a cheap option so long as you remember to return them on time.
Taking a walk is another fun option. We’re blessed to live in a community with great space for nature walks (along the river bank and past a forest.) Unfortunately, we rarely get to do that as the kids are too young to leave alone in the house. But, we can sit out on the deck in good weather once the kids are safely tucked in bed!
Something I have not tried yet is to put together a romantic dinner for after the kids go to bed. Or, maybe a nice dessert if we don’t want to wait for dinner. I’ve heard of some families with older kids having them serve the dinner for the parents. Could be a fun thing to try this year as the boys are older.
Laura O’Neill
I’m a little late joining in on this one, but I love this topic.
1. I stage a treasure hunt for my hubby. This one takes a bit more planning, but can be a lot of fun. I leave clues that lead to more clues that finally lead to a special something for my husband.
2. We spend a romantic night in. I start the day off with a little note to my husband letting him know that something special awaits him tonight. I tuck notes in his lunch, gym bag… giving him more hints. I then have a note on the door when he arrives home. Enjoy the evening….
3. We go letterboxing.
4. We rent a favorite movie (or new movie). Pop some popcorn and cuddle in bed or by the fireplace.
5. We take up a new hobby together or do a project together. Obviously, depending on what hobby or project we choose this could be inexpensive or expensive.
I have a couple of ideas. The first one I have put into action…the second one, I have yet to try, but really, really want (and need) to.
1. This may sound bad, but at least it gets you a really inexpensive dinner date twice a year. Most resturants have a way to sign up to be on a list…a list that will give you a free meal for your birthday. My husband recently celebrated his birthday. He had a free meal coupon in his email that we just had to print out and take in…two for one dinner! 🙂
2. This one I haven’t tried, but it sounds like a ton of fun. Get a (couple) black (or other dark color) sheet(s)…(I’m thinking at least Queen or King sized here…and maybe more than one) Make a tent out of it in your living room…you can use chairs and make it just like you would for your kiddos. Buy those glow in the dark star stickers and stick them all over the sheet. It looks like you are camping out under the stars in your living room. Make some camp-like foods…soups, sandwiches, etc…and spend a nice evening under the stars. You can have pillows and blankets in there too… 🙂
Here are a couple of ideas that we have used through the years:
1. Have a picnic lunch at a local park, the grounds of an art museum or somewhere like a Japanese Tea Garden. We have gone to all locations locally for a fun time out for not much! We used to pick up a fried chicken meal and head to the Japanese Tea Garden or the grounds of the McNay Art Museum (we live in San Antonio, TX).
2. We like to rent movies and get a few snacks to watch together after the kids are in bed or when they are with their grandparents.
3. We have gone and spent the day at the lake..just take along some snacks and drinks and have a blast! This was before children..but would be fun to do again!
4. Spending an evening alone at home…making a nice dinner with candles, music, etc and just enjoying each other. (Works best when the 4 kids are not home…thank the Lord for grandparents who live nearby!)
5. For Valentine’s Day…make chocolate dipped strawberries with your hubby and enjoy them while watching a romantic movie at home!
Blessings,
Wendy Clayton