Date Nights

Every Saturday night Scott and I have a date night at home.

We started this rhythm and ritual when the girls were babies. I remember our first {I'm not quite sure how I remember it, but I do}

We had just gotten back from the Polar Express with toddler Anna. It was one of those 'all my dreams come true' evenings. After we got home and I put sleeping Anna in her crib I remember Scott saying to me, "want to get a small pizza and a watch a Christmas movie?" {heart pitter patter}

And so 'date night at home' began. Did we ever leave our girls? Yes we did. But not without much stress from me. It's too long for a post today but I used to get intense headaches from missing them. So our at home date nights always worked for us.

Of course now we have a 17 and 13 year old. So long gone are the Saturday nights when both girls are all tucked in by 8pm. And if we waited until they were asleep we'd be starting our date night at 11pm.

We decided that they could have their own 'sister date night' and we'd still get ours. The girls sometimes watch a movie or shows on our bed {cozy} or sometimes they pull over their bean bags and watch something in the playroom.

I love this rhythm and ritual. I love that the girls have seen us make this work throughout the years. I love that they know it's important to us and for us. And I love that they have a special sister time.

Last Saturday they chose to watch a movie in the playroom. I pulled over their childhood play tea cart and they had a bit of their homemade ice cream and mini chocolate chip cookie pies.







I do so look forward to Saturday nights.

Date Night

He told me he was turning up the heat to like 80 in our family room (with the fireplace.. we have an extreme heating fireplace).  And he told me to wear something Hawaiian.  What?  It's freezing out.  You want me to change into a skirt?  But I did and it was worth it!



We had Hawaiian drinks



And he made Coconut chicken as an appetizer

Followed by Hawaiian sweet rolls and then this



It was so much fun... my favorite kind of date... at home with our girls upstairs sleeping.

~ Tonight I'm thinking about how very blessed I am.  Scott.  He'll do anything for me.  For this family.  Little things.  Errands.  Late at night for crazy things like a new shampoo I wanted to try to help with my skin.  Big things.  Like talking to Abigail's teacher for an hour about her in school.  He's been helping me so much at home lately.  Even thought I don't want the help.  I love my home and my family and the work that it provides.  It's good work, and it makes me happy to do it.  But I've taken on more hours teaching and he's been such an emotional support for me.  And some other things I'm going through lately.  He's there.  I want to remember.  He prays for me and with me each night; every single night for some of the struggles I've been walking through lately.  He is the go to homework daddy for our middle school girl.  He cuddles with Abigail and then prays over me.  I want to remember this time and all of the times in my life when he's been amazing.

Dating You Ten, Eleven, Twelve ~ A Night Away

(I love him)

(music) It's kind of funny that this one date was our last three dates (not like the last three dates of our lives but the last three from this gift, get it?)  Anyway, our summer was a bit hectic and I just couldn't fit in the dates I had planned and wanted to have with Scott.

So I knew that this one had to be a good one with many little dates woven in.  We all know that I'm the worst at leaving my girls.  I actually don't feel whole without them around... and no I don't like that I'm like that but I am...

In order for this to be a good date and to be three dates it had to be a leave the girls over night.

And they sobbed and sobbed about that fact too.  (just kidding)  

Scott and I didn't go too far, just to the Connecticut shore; to a lovely resort.

Most of the time I didn't have my camera with me and we shot pictures with our phone.

Date Ten: (rats, there was a picture but it's not here) As soon as we arrived we had a bowl of clam chowder and a class of wine here overlooking the water.



This resort had such pretty grounds. It was fun to just walk around and explore. "oh the girls would love this," was all we kept saying.



We sat down by the water and just chilled.  I'm telling you that was a perfect date ten.  A late lunch on the patio of a resort, wine, and sitting by the water.





Date Eleven:  Dinner ~ No pictures but at dusk we sat on the lower patio with a really good band and ate the yummiest seafood meal ever!  We had margaritas and it was FUN!



See that awning?  Now picture dusk and there we were!



It was a super fun night and it was lovely to eat without worrying about bringing out our bagged food for Abigail's allergies. It was nice to have Scott all to myself.  The perfect date eleven... dinner outside, a band, great music, great food, great company!

Date Twelve ~ A Run in the Morning.

I woke up bright and early and Scott mapped out a run for us. Half way was here.



Oh my!



And the other half ended up here back at the shore.



I did it! Twelve dates in twelve months. So the last one was kind of a cheat but it still counts.

Guess what? We're not done! Dating that is... we'll be getting creative and dating each month (taking turns planning this time) forever.



I promise to share as we go... Happy 41 Scott! I love you!

(those poor girls... they didn't have any fun at all!)  Just kidding!  

Dating You Nine ~ A Run at the Reservoir

It was time to get outside! And this beautiful place is a hop, skip and a jump from home. They have a lovely running loop through the woods around the reservoir. Perfect for our April date (that actually happened in May, ha!)

Scott and I have a history with running. I 'grew up running'. Joining the cross country team in fifth grade (because I would never go near a soccer ball or baseball for that matter... it might hit me in the face) and never stopped running. My dad is a runner (still at 75) and I watched him cris cross New England and run marathons when I was little. He made it look so easy. I ran my first 26.2 marathon when I was in my late 20's with a friend. And the very next year ran a marathon with my dad.

He's holding me up... as soon as we found Scott he drove me straight to a med center... but I smile when the camera is there... ) 


26.2 miles without stopping is a looooong way. Try it in your car. Hit the little mile thing and then drive. It's far. Needless to say, Scott and I didn't run anything like that. This was a DATE. I couldn't very well have bloody toes. I didn't even want to sweat that much.

I think I say this almost every month... but this was one of my favorite dates. (I didn't like the fancy restaurant dates)

Spring + nature + exercise... just a little... + Scott = love!!!

Here are just a few from the date



And I must say that we are not 'selfie' iphone photographers like the rest of the world. But we did our best. I'm more of a bring three lenses, the big camera, and a tripod when I want a photo of just the two of us.



It was a beautiful late afternoon.  The sun was shining and it was a glorious 70 degrees!



Such a pretty place to run!





Running through the woods makes me feel alive! I love it! And I love this man I've been dating for over 25 years... almost 18 married. I'd run anywhere with you...

Dating You Eight ~ Christmas in May

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow



This date was oh so much to plan! How I do love Christmas, even in May! I got to Christmas shop, bake, and wrap without any of the stress! A few decorations, my Christmas jammies and Christmas music on and we had a party. Scott was so excited when he opened his date card (swoon) For the first time I didn't give him his date card ahead of time. He had to wait until this night. I was holding the mistletoe up as he opened his envelope!

The date card looked like this...



And the table looked like this...











There was present opening...



Christmas cookie eating while Christmas movie watching...

And of course what's a date without a little of this... Me Merry!



My favorite date so far! For sure... I adore Christmas!

Just in case you're lost on why we're celebrating Christmas in May... here's the link to the beginning.... 

Dating You Seven ~ Fancy Lunch

Okay, so for this one I cheated a little.  Scott got a gift card to a fancy restaurant in our town.  The kind where there is no ketchup on the table and there are no kids menus.  I think the gift card was siting in his drawer for over a year.  When I was planning these dates I snatched it up knowing it was now or never.  (you know how I hate going out)

So I booked the place, asked for a cozy table (okay, so he called and asked all that stuff the day before) and off we went.  I thought that after church would be a good idea.  Less time for me to change my mind and want to stay cozy at home with the girls.  And bonus... we are already all dressed up from Mass.  Perfect.

Here's what the date card looked like: (& it had the gift card inside) Music 



And you all know how I love to take pictures and I don't even mind being in them (who cares anyway?) but taking pictures at a fancy restaurant, well, that's a bit on the stepping out of my comfort zone for me.  But I had to, right?  So they're not fancy (like the place we were at) but here they are...

green cocktails (the best part of the whole lunch... oh my were they tasty!)





I could swear that my hair looked better that day... I'll blame it on awful restaurant lighting.



And being with Scott, talking well that was awesome too!  :)



Dessert shared on one plate... romance! xoxoxo



Here's to date number seven.... phew... am I almost done?  (just kidding)

Dating You Six ~ Slumber Party for Two!

It's really cold here in Connecticut.  The wind is whipping, the temps are dropping more in the days to come, and there's snow storm coming this weekend.  You know what I think of when the weather is like this.  Yeah, time to cozy up the house even more!  What can I cook?  What should I bake?  Maybe I should redo out game basket under the coffee table in the family room... I get all excited.  I love each and every season.  And blogging this date on a cold weather day like this seems fitting.  After all it was a cozy, at home date in front of the fireplace, oh la la!  (music for ya) 

Here's what the date card looked like :



And then I made these...



Ready to go in the oven



Is there really anything better than whipping cream for cream puffs?



Really dark room... just some twinkle lights on



Anna, who came down after we had tucked her in wanted to take a picture





Our view opposite the fireplace





We ate pizza and played this game. So much fun to go back and relive all the old memories. It had us laughing so much we were crying!



PS ~ I won!

Six more dates to go!