A rockin' date

 B+C

Date #9

Dinner, Shopping, and a Light show at the Planetarium

B's birthday was on Wednesday, but he didn't come home from work until Friday, so I took him out then.  We started the night with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants(Pizzeria 712).

From there, we had the car ride to Salt Lake, to continue to talk and laugh and enjoy each other's company.  We had plans to see the 'Rock on Demand' light show at the Clark Planetarium, but our show didn't start for another hour, so we had some time to walk around the Gateway Mall.  Fine by me!!  : )  We went to Anthropologie and got some colorful bowls to add to our collection.

Then we were off to the Planetarium for a light and laser show, set to rock music and shown in a dome theater.  We sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed some music and entertainment.  The audience got to choose the music.  We heard a mix of Classic Rock and Modern Rock- everything from Led Zeppelin, to Red Hot Chili Peppers, to Jimmy Hendricks, to Pink Floyd.   It was fun to b able to sing along as loud as we wanted.  

We walked around the store for a few minutes afterward and then headed home, where our babysitter had all of the kids all tucked into bed.  perfect!!  

I know B likes our date nights, but he's not usually very vocal about it, which makes it hard for me to keep planning things to do.  This time however, he told me quite a few times throughout the night and at the end of it all, what a good time he had.  He said, 'This was a really good birthday.  Good company, good food, good music.'  Nothing meant more to me than hearing that he appreciated the night I planned for him.  I love him and I'm happy we got to celebrate his birthday together!!

Oakland Temple

B+C

Date #8

Oakland Temple

We just got back from a trip to California, to visit B's family.  One night, we left the kids with grandma and grandpa, and headed to the Oakland Temple, just a few minutes from his house.  

In all the years we've been married (9), I had never been in that temple before!  We might have to make it a tradition to go every time we visit now.  We loved it!  We just felt so close and so happy afterwards.  It was an awesome date night.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

 B+C

Date # 7

pie shakes at Sammy's, some live music, and a scenic drive.

So this date was short because we really never got a chance to plan anything.  But we had babysitters ready and willing, so we headed to Sammy's for some shakes, and decided to use our time without the kids, to get organized.  There are a few things in our lives right now that we need to make decisions about, so we brought the ipad along to write notes in. 

 Mmmm, those shakes were delish!  I probably ate a little too much.  Oops. 

We happened to be there when there was a band playing, so we watched just for a minute but then decided we should move on.

One of the things on our list was to figure out plans for family pictures (outfits and location) so we ended up driving around, looking for good spots for pictures.  I'm not sure if we found THE spot, but we liked this fence. : )  So, that was that.  I don't know if it was all of that sugar from the shake or what, but I was soooo tired, so we headed home.  Even though we didn't have big plans, I thought the night was a success.

Bazaar

I love going to the Beehive Bazaar (an arts and crafts show with lots of pretty handmade things) every year, so I thought we'd just make it into a date.  The only problem was that I was feeling sick that day.  Sooooo, it wasn't as fun as it's been in the past.  I quickly dragged B through, giving everything a quick once over.  And it was a good thing we rushed because, by the time I made it to checkout, I was fading fast.  I felt so sick. 

We ended up with some handmade soap, which I used that very night, for a birthday gift, and a cookie cutter in the shape of California.

The End.

Buffet Date

B+C

Date #5

Racquetball, Picnic in the car, and dessert&art

Kind of a buffet of a date. We had a little bit of everything all in one.

It was a cold, rainy day, so we decided to take it indoors. We started off at the rec center for some racquetball, which was really fun. I always like to be goofy with my husband because life can get pretty serious between tending to the kids, worrying about their needs, paying bills, budgeting, etc.

I couldn't stop giggling the whole time because this is one of those sports where you need to let go of insecurities. There were so many times when I know I looked like such a dork but the ball was coming at me and I had to act fast. Definitely entertaining to anyone watching (ie. Brad).

But we're getting pretty old and we really only lasted about half an hour before getting too tired to continue, so we went to the car and had the picnic that we had packed up beforehand.

We didn't feel like we'd had enough time after that, so we got some dessert and did some drawing. Well, B drew, I watched.  I love date night!!

shopping

B+C

Date #4

Cheesecake Factory and shopping at City Creek Center

I love to shop.

This is pretty close to a dream date for me. No kids. Just me and him. A beautiful mall, new stores to discover, and good food.

We went straight to the Cheesecake Factory when we got there and took our time eating some delicious food. Then we went to a couple stores. It's crazy how fast time flies by when you're shopping. There were at least 5 other stores I wanted to look at but the mall was closing so we had to go home. I DID get a pair of nude heels and a pretty blouse. And the highlight for me was probably that B bought a couple things for himself. He's not much of a shopper, and couldn't care less about 'style', so this was big for him. We brought our camera and then left it in the car because we didn't want to carry it. : (

I got these heels (LOVE them) and this top and B got these pants in brown and a few t-shirts.

May the odds be ever in your favor

B+C

Date #3

quickie movie

B and I wanted to see The Hunger Games, so we offered our neighbors a babysitting swap. We did it all in one day. Things never seem to go quite as planned for us. Something usually gets in the way. B went shooting down in Rocky Ridge with some buddies in the morning and was supposed to get back by one. The plan was for us to catch the 1:40 showing and then our friends would go to the 6:00 show. Well, B's friend got a flat tire on the way home, throwing everything off, and the time kept getting pushed back an hour, then another half hour, then another half hour. . . .

He ended up getting home at 4:00!! (Luckily our friends were flexible.) I had a change of clothes ready for him, so he changed in the car while I booked it to the theatre for the 3:50 show, which we were a little late to. We watched the movie and booked it home so our friends could make it to the 7:00 show and B could get to a prior engagement (which he was nearly an hour late to. oops!)

Things don't always go as planned, but we made the best of it. We thought the movie was great and stayed very true to the book. Even though it was a bit (VERY) rushed, we enjoyed our little time in the theater together.

hole in one

B+C

Date #2

dinner and golfing

For date number 2, the husband and I decided to go to Trafalga for some miniature golfing and games. We started the night with dinner at Kneaders. (I don't think you can ever go wrong with Kneaders.) Then we headed to Trafalga. I'm a baby when the weather is one degree colder than 76, so we played indoors.

I had never been there before and wish we had brought the camera in because it was all lit up with black lights (reminded me of our Halloween party a couple years ago). After our game, (which I won! yea! that never happens.) we tried playing a few games but they kept eating our tokens. We ended up giving the rest of our tokens, and our tickets, to a very excited little boy. It was a really fun night!! We hadn't been on a date in awhile and I was in major NEED of some alone time. It was just perfect.

J + D

Date #3

At Home Date:

Movie Night

After a super-fun evening with the kiddos at a very parent-friendly kiddo birthday party, we put the kids to bed, got in our jammies, watched the snow fall for a few minutes, and then snuggled up to this movie:

CRAZY STUPID LOVE

We didn't know anything about it, nor did we expect much.

BUT WE LOVED IT!

(the trailer doesn't do it justice)

I'm not even hesitant to say that I think I'm going to buy it.

It was hilarious and sweet and thoughtful and totally great.

Go see it with your honey! 

GAME NIGHT

D + T (Date #   )

C + B (Date #   )

J + D (2012 Date #2)

Game Night

D and I have decided to revamp out date nights this year by organizing them a little differently.  We've decided that one week a month will be for a temple date night (without kids), one for a game night with friends (where kids are invited--since they tend to play the games with us anyway--and we can still have adult time), one for an alone date (going out without kiddos) and one that's either a home-date or a family date.

For us, that's easier because

3 of 4 dates = Potentially FREE

2 of 4 dates = Don't need babysitters

2 or 3 of 4 dates = Just US alone still

2 of 4 dates = Potentially at home

2 of 4 dates = Potentially with friends

We figured by trying it this way, we'd be more apt to stay on the ball without feeling guilty about leaving the kids (which I realize we shouldn't feel that way, but we often do), spending the money, or having to trade/find babysitters so often.  

We'll see how it works out for us as we go along...

Anyway, our date night was super fun!

We had D&T and C&B over for a game called QUIDDLER, a big bowl of popcorn, a pan of brownies, a package of oreos, and some other assorted fingerfoods.

We laughed, we had a great time, we didn't worry about getting back to the kids, and best of all,

I won the game. :)

Laughing.

Here we ladies are--including C's darling baby girl P.

Such a great crowd!

Thanks again for coming!

Dinner with the Big Guys

J + D

2012 Date #1

Tonight we were invited to a dinner party with the Executive Leadership Group of our church

and though we were a little nervous about going

(mostly because we didn't know who would be there nor what we'd talk about with whomever was there)

it ended up being a pleasant evening.

We sat with a handful of couples who are mostly our parents' ages or older

and had a delightful time hearing everyone's stories of how they met their spouse and

how it all lead up to their marriage.

We laughed and were pleased to feel comfortable afterall.

We were served HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS and played a few games

with everyone afterward.

The one thing we took from this date was that you can't always assume

fun can only be had with those you feel most comfortable with.

It was a great learning experience

and a great evening for us both!

J + D Playing CatchUp

J + D

Dates 38-47ish

First off, its been a whole year since we started "dating" regularly again.

I must say that it has been an AWESOME and CRAZY and BUSY year for us....

So first, here's a quick anniversary movie I made for the hubb...

We've had several dates that I haven't posted on here for 2 reasons

1..repeats of things we have already done

2..having had the time to sit down and punch it out

So here I am...at the start of a new year:

Dates 38-42 I'll give credit to at-home movie watching.

For about 8 weeks I was INCREDIBLY sick

(thank you non-credited-due-to-not-being-appropriate-on-this-blog babymaking dates :))

so we (I) spent a lot of time on the couch

watching movies

And D would often lay beside me so sweetly.

I wish I could say that at I was this perky and happy....

but I'm still counting them as dates...

Next on the list are our 3 mega fun Christmas parties we were able to attend without babies...
(Dates 43,44,45)

1: Our annual Christmas party that we throw for all of our bestest friends
(a total success--I didn't even feel sick)
2: My work's party at a fancy schmancy country club where we got all gussied up together for
dinner and a hilarous white elephant exchange
3: A fondu party where we nearly hit a deer and ate so much dippable food we came home nearly puking.
All were so fun to go to together.
I have the bestest dating partner. :)

Date 46
consisted of staying up SUPER late Christmas Eve and wrapping gifts together, placing them strategically under the Christmas Tree, and acting joyously like Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Why doesn't she have a NAME?
We were more excited about Christmas Morning than the kiddos were...
Being a parent at Christmas time is SO SO SO fun!

And then Date #47

 was saved for our Anniversary, just a few days after Christmas.

We always go to the temple on our Anniversary, so that's what we did again.

Its my favorite thing to do on our special day...

And then we got some take-out from one of our favorite places and hurried home to put the kiddos down to bed. so we could have the rest of the evening together.

We didn't make it to 52 dates this year, but 47ish isn't all that bad.

We've made a new goal to start up again FRESH and EXCITED for 2012 and 

we're excited that our first official date of 2012 is TONIGHT!!!

Yay for Dating!

End of Year Catch-up/Review

D&T

Dates #46 - 50

Things have been pretty crazy at our house - but I can't just bail and not finish out our 2011 date goals!!  Its been awhile, but here were our last dates of the year . . .

#46

D's parents wanted to have all the grown-ups together for a night, so they took all the kids and spouses out to Tucanos in Salt Lake.  With all the grand kids left at home . . . it was quite a treat for us adults to spend some uninterrupted time together.  It was a memorable dinner for D&I (and everyone else hopefully) because D&I got to announce our big news to the family!  D passed around his phone with a random picture of an ultrasound on it . . . it took a second, but everyone figured out our news . . . Baby #3!!  Also memorable to me . . . this was really my last normal evening for quite some time . . the next morning I woke up with full blown "Morning-but-really-ALL-DAY-sickness". 

#47

J&D threw their annual Christmas Party and its one of our favorite events of the holiday season!  We love feeling the Christmas Spirit with all our friends and having some GREAT laughs during the white elephant gift exchange! 

#48

D's work always throws an amazing Christmas Party.  Nice Dress, awesome food & entertainment - its something we look forward to every year!  This year was no different.  Held at Thanksgiving Point with a Movie Star theme . . . the Vegas entertainer (juggler/funny man) was hilarious!!!  Its always romantic to get dressed up for Dane to spend the evening with him!

#49
Taking from J&D - I am going to count our Christmas Eve as a date too.  It was super out of the ordinary cause we also stayed up super late (thanks to a good round of puking that made me feel much better) wrapping presents and getting the house ready for Christmas morning.  I love wrapping presents by the light of the Christmas tree and I was afraid I would have to lay on the couch and watch D do all the work.  I feel super blessed to feel well enough to be involved as we wrapped presents for our kids and families and listened to Christmas music.  Even Christmas morning was special as our kids slept in SUPER late, but D&I couldn't stay in bed so we got up and made muffins and put on the music again and had a little more time together before the kiddos woke up and we were able to see their little faces as they walked into the room.  I love Christmas!!

#50
As is tradition in D's family - we always see a Christmas movie . . . although this one was more a New Years movie cause I think we went on New Years Eve afternoon.  D's family LOVES movies so we try to go see some of the big ones (well at least one) together every year.  This years movie was SHERLOCK HOLMES.  We loved it!  It was fun to cuddle up with D (and eat popcorn nonstop to try and curb the sickness) and just be entertained for a couple hours.  I definitely recommend the movie . . . Robert Downy Jr. rocks!!

2011 has been AMAZING!  This dating goal has been incredible for me & D and our relationship . . . I hope the other couples feel that way too.  It was always well planned or super fancy or anything, but making sure to take time out for each other . . . and making it a habit . . . really strengthened our relationship.  We have more great memories of dates and laughs and just good times together this year than we have had in a long time!!  I have to thank J& D for their inspiration and including us in this dating group!  For us the timing has been perfect too - a year of incredible dating leading into a big year filled with change for us.  Nothing helps dealing with change better than the stronger, more deeper relationship that we have built this year.  Being pregnant and having a baby are LIFE CHANGERS, but we are ready to handle anything!  :)  I wish I could say 2012 would be just as good or better than 2011 for dating . . . but that's just not realistic.  Between the sickness & exhaustion of pregnancy and then the newborn in July . . . things will be more low key.  But we are SO PROUD of what we have done this year and will keep the spirit alive in a more low key way in 2012.  But watch out 2013 . . . we will be back!  :)  I will keep posting dates - especially the good ones - as they happen - but maybe not keep such great tabs on numbers & such - we shall see. 

Epitome of Romance

D&T

Date #45

I realize I may be stretching it just a bit . . . but I get to define what a date is right???  Our Thanksgiving Date was Thanksgiving morning at the Oborn family Turkey bowl!  At the family reunion in St. George for the long weekend I had written off a date for the week.  But the grandparents all offered to watch the littles while we played football in the morning.  I have not played in a Turkey Bowl since I had kids - so I was thrilled.  I am not great at football, but D&I love to play sports together and running around for a couple hours in the gorgeous St. George weather with him and our cousins that we love was plenty date like to me.  D & I were on opposite teams - and my team kicked trash.  :)  Just couldn't forget to document that. 

WallyBall BonAmie

D&T

Date #44

We got a last minute invite to go join a group of friends for Wallyball and we JUMPED on that!  (thanks to the in-laws for being so available to babysit!).  We had a BLAST with 3 other couples we had really never hung out with before . . . but we love making new friends.  Had dinner at Cafe Paesan after (the italian version of Cafe Rio) and we really like eating there!   I am failing in the picture taking category, but its the date that counts.  :)

Costco Trip

D&T

Date #43

Admittedly, without my in laws being so incredible, I am not sure there is anyway we would be doing so great on our date night goal.  This mini date was very unplanned.  D&I (and the kids) went over to help them with a TV thing (just D was helping really) and we were supposed to be done quick cause the plan was family dinner at Costco before it closed.  Well the "quick fix" was taking much longer than planned - so my in-laws offered to keep the kiddos while D&I had some alone time at Costco and then meet at Shakeys pizza for dinner (then back to thier house to finish the fixing).   I LOVED that plan.  Although SHORT, any alone time with Dane is SWEET (not to mention Costco without the kids - SCORE).  And although it was a whole family dinner - have to put in a plug for Shakeys Pizza (by the AF Walmart - right next to the Petsmart).  Its really well priced and not at all bad for a pizza buffet.  There is a salad bar and the pizza was actually pretty delicious (probably the deep dish).  They also have pasta and yummy potato bites and stuff the kids LOVED. 

Trying New Thai

D&T

Date #42

We had a restaurant.com certificate to a Thai place in Sandy and decided to use it.  Dropped the kids off at D's sisters on the way up there.  Although - I forgot the gift certificate, so we had to turn around - and it took us over an hour to get to Bluffdale cause traffic was so bad.  Not a great start to our date . . .  but D was SUPER patient and once we were at the restaurant it was all okay.  We were starving and really enjoyed the food - as always - but tis not our favorite Thai place for sure.  Always fun to try something new!

Costume Party

M&R
Date #32
Costume Party

Hey! It's true. We are still alive and it seems as though we have completely and utterly failed our goal of one date night a week for a year. [head hung in shame]

I've learned a couple of things. It turns out that having a husband who works 60+ very inconsistent hours each week is not very conducive to planning date nights. You know what else, we are learning that without grandparents around, ya just gotta bite the bullet and pay for a babysitter. Otherwise friends and neighbors are going to grow weary of babysitting trades and favors. I don't want to be that friend that people avoid because they are afraid of what is going to be asked of them. As cheapskate as this might make me sound, it's hard to cough up babysitting money on top of any costs for a date, but, I think it's just time. It definitely is more convenient having the babysitter come to you though.

Anyway!! This dating thing has turned out to be more challenging than I thought. But, we will never ever give up! So here I am, with what should be Date #43, but instead it's Date #32.

We received an invitation to a Halloween costume party. We were supposed to go as characters from a book called Fablehaven, which I know nothing about. So I Wikipedia'd it (didn't you know that's a verb?) and found some characters to imitate. Hubby and I aren't crazy about costumes, but we threw something together. I made some cat ears and a tail (for $1.71 thank you very much!) and went as a black cat. Hubby was "the Grey Assassin".

The party was so so fun!! We only knew the hosts, but they know how to choose a good crowd, because we didn't feel awkward the whole time. The company was fantastic, and hilarious, and they had plenty of games and food to keep us busy and entertained the entire time.

There was a best costume competition and we obviously didn't come close. Maybe next year!