5 Tips for a Low Key Date Night

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To celebrate our anniversary, MJ and I had ourselves a s’mores date night. We are low-key-celebration kinds of people. Nothing too fancy or fussy or grand. Just us together. Unfortunately, date nights don’t happen often enough for our liking. With children and work, community activities and traveling, date nights are hard to come by. It won’t be like this forever so we make do. But, when we do get to have time together, we keep it very simple. If you’re looking for ways to keep your date nights simple, I have five easy tips for you.

1. Find care for your children.

Even if it’s only an hour, make sure it’s just the two of you on your date. Most of the time our conversations are disjointed and interrupted so many times I often forget what we were discussing. It’s what life with children is like. On our date, having a conversation with him that wasn’t interrupted with requests for water or disputes over toys was a special treat. Just him and me and the summer evening sun.

2. Look nice but don’t stress.

It’s definitely considerate to look nice on dates no matter how long you’ve been together. Yoga pants and a tee are not acceptable here, unless your date is doing yoga together. :) If you look nice, you will feel better which will help you enjoy the date even more. However, it needn’t be hours and hours of prep. Look like you, dress like you. Your date enjoys you so be that person!

3. Keep it simple.

Maybe your date is a favorite restaurant nearby or cooking a favorite meal together you both adore or even shopping together with no children! Whatever it is, keep it uncomplicated and inline with what makes you both happy. For us, I packed a basket with simple, easy to prep foods, a beverage, napkins and our s’mores. I decided against packing the plates because the food didn’t require them. We were able to sit, chat, eat and be together with little effort. Looking for a similar basket, carafe or napkins?

4. Pick a place where you and your date can talk and sit close.

It doesn’t have to be far away or an arduous trek. Maybe the best place is your backyard! It’s about being together and connecting. We scooped up our food filled basket and blanket and headed to the park down the street from our house (the same park we had Love Bug’s birthday party). I like the park because it’s so close and peaceful and I adore the wide open field and the evening light. We sat together on our blanket, our little island in the grass. It’s always a treat when I get to actually look at MJ’s face when we talk, another thing that doesn’t happen often enough in our nutty life. Just that part made it an awesome time. Similar gray blanket.

And finally,

5. Enjoy your time.

Turn phones to silent. If you’re in a place with TVs, don’t stare at them. Don’t discuss no-fun topics like scheduling dentist appointments or mortgage payments or who’s turn it is to clean out the clogged sink. Be together. Talk about the both of you. Laugh for goodness sake! It was so enjoyable to sit with my man on a blanket, eating food together and laughing. Sometimes our life get so crazy I forgot how funny he is and how I love it when he makes me laugh. Make sure your time together is for you.

Thank you for indulging me this week with all the lovey dovey talk and projects. I’ve enjoyed celebrating our nine years of marriage. But before we finish, I want to share a couple things I love about my MJ.

I love it that when he hears songs he knows I will love he shares it with me all the while knowing I will play it an obscene number of times which will drive him crazy. I love his funny little quips; his sense of humor is one of my most favorite things about him. I love it that he tells me I look beautiful even when I haven’t showered and am still wearing my pajamas when he gets home from work. I love it that he can’t keep from telling me the gifts he buys me. He just can’t keep it a secret. But most of all, I love that I am married to a man who often assures me he will love me until the end of time. Come hell or high water, his love will be there. And that is the best part of all. I am so blessed.

Want to recreate our picnic?

Picnic Basket | White Bowls | Glass Carafe | Red Napkins | Gray Blanket

If you missed the rest of the anniversary week posts, here they are!

Inspiration Board: S’more Date Night

Painted Plates for Date Night

Recipe: Marshmallows, Peanut Butter & Chocolate

Recipe: 3 Ooey Gooey Good S’Mores – Chocolate Lovers, Peanut Butter & Caramel Cashew

Have a great weekend and see you back here on Monday!