We were thinking of going to a hotel (in town, literally just down the road) for Valentine's Day this year. We planned to go Friday-Sunday this last weekend.
Friday morning Joshua looked at me and asked, "Would you rather just stay home?" That sounded great to me (and more frugal!), so he called the hotel and cancelled.
We had a wonderful weekend together. Thursday, for Valentine's Day, I made an apple pie and calzones for supper (SO yummy), and we exchanged gifts. Joshua bought me a beautiful necklace, and took me out for supper on Friday as well. I decorated a mug with "sixteen things I love about you"--the list covered the whole mug. He loved it. :)
Saturday we slept in, cooked and ate a lot of good food, watched movies, and just relaxed. I had a sub for work for my two hours so we didn't even leave the house all day. That doesn't happen often!
Why do I love staying home instead of going out for dates? Or going on a little getaway like we'd planned?
-I don't have to pack. That was so nice!
-We can cook and eat whatever food we feel like making (instead of hotel continental breakfasts and restaurants).
-We sleep in our own bed. That doesn't need any explanation.
-We're totally alone, versus being in public...ahem. Again, no explanation needed...
-If we have a dinner-and-a-movie date, we can eat dinner on our couch and watch whatever movie we want, thanks to Netflix, and not choose from what's at the theater.
-We save on gas.
-Overall, it's cheaper!
-I don't have to put on makeup, or change out of pajamas (we stayed in our PJ's for a long time on Saturday...don't judge!).
-We're in the comfort and familiarity of our own home, instead of being in a hotel.
-At home, we can decide between baking something together, playing a favorite game, watching our latest favorite TV show (Joshua's working through "24")...or whatever ;) There are more options for activities at home than at a hotel. And they don't cost anything (or at least not much!).
-Did I mention the privacy? And the inexpensivity? (That is now a word.)
My favorite thing about staying home for dates is that because we're relaxed and in our most familiar environment, we're more likely to talk about important things, because we're not discussing things like "What channel should we pick out of the five million on this TV?" or "What time do we have to get up so we don't miss the continental breakfast?" or "How do you set this alarm clock?" or "Did you bring my pajamas?"
There are a lot of good reasons to go out for a date, or get away for a weekend. But since we don't have kids yet, it's really easy to find time to be alone, and being home is nice. We're both home-bodies, and I'm really okay with that! I think it's SO important to keep dating even now that we're married. It's essential for the health of our relationship to spend intentional time together, focusing specifically on each other. We plan to keep up the dating habit for our whole marriage, even after we start having children!
What are your favorite things to do for an at-home date? What do you like about staying home with your spouse?
Linking with: Exceptionalistic, The Alabaster Jar, The Better Mom, What Joy is Mine, Raising Arrows, lowercase letters , Countrified Hicks, To Love, Honor, and Vacuum
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Monday, February 18, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Food, romance and forgiveness: I am thankful for these things
I appreciate the pattern of "Thankful Thursdays" because it helps me focus, on a regular basis, on all the many things I have to be thankful for. That's not to say that I'm not grateful to God every day for what he has given me, but I like noting particular things.
For example, today my husband took the car to be washed--it's so lovely and shiny now!
Supper today was fantastic again...tilapia kind of like what I did last week, except with lime and basil instead of lemon with garlic and butter. We had it with rice and a tomato-cucumber-yogurt salad. SO good. It is such a blessing to always have plenty of good food.
I made homemade yogurt this week, and it turned out! I'll share more about that tomorrow! I am thankful for the success, but even more for the opportunity to add to my cooking and homemaking skills.
I'm thankful for my grandparents, and the fact that they let us do laundry at their house every week. I love spending time with them; it is an amazing blessing to have family so close, both them and Joshua's parents.
I'm so thankful for my husband and how romantic he is. Last week he took me for dinner at an Italian restaurant I've been wanting to visit for a long time, and to see Les Miserables (SUCH a good movie!). This weekend we're going on a little getaway for Valentine's Day--not far, but it's much-needed and will be so nice.
As we begin the season of Lent, I'm reminded how unspeakably grateful I am for the fact that Christ suffered so much--for me. He endured an incredibly torturous death so that I would never have to experience separation from God. He gave up the rights of his divinity and suffered as a human so that I can live eternally with him, now that he is risen from the dead. This, above all things, I thank God for.
Linking with: Loved and Lovely, The Fontenot Four, black tag diaries
For example, today my husband took the car to be washed--it's so lovely and shiny now!
Supper today was fantastic again...tilapia kind of like what I did last week, except with lime and basil instead of lemon with garlic and butter. We had it with rice and a tomato-cucumber-yogurt salad. SO good. It is such a blessing to always have plenty of good food.
I made homemade yogurt this week, and it turned out! I'll share more about that tomorrow! I am thankful for the success, but even more for the opportunity to add to my cooking and homemaking skills.
I'm thankful for my grandparents, and the fact that they let us do laundry at their house every week. I love spending time with them; it is an amazing blessing to have family so close, both them and Joshua's parents.
I'm so thankful for my husband and how romantic he is. Last week he took me for dinner at an Italian restaurant I've been wanting to visit for a long time, and to see Les Miserables (SUCH a good movie!). This weekend we're going on a little getaway for Valentine's Day--not far, but it's much-needed and will be so nice.
As we begin the season of Lent, I'm reminded how unspeakably grateful I am for the fact that Christ suffered so much--for me. He endured an incredibly torturous death so that I would never have to experience separation from God. He gave up the rights of his divinity and suffered as a human so that I can live eternally with him, now that he is risen from the dead. This, above all things, I thank God for.
Linking with: Loved and Lovely, The Fontenot Four, black tag diaries
Monday, January 21, 2013
Rekindling Romance eKit {Giveaway}
Update: This giveaway has closed.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Jason and Jami (of Young Wife's Guide) have designed this absolutely beautiful kit full of fun and unique ideas and activities for married couples to add a little more spice and romance to their lives!
"With this kit you can crate a romantic night in, play a fun (& sexy) game, develop a romantic gift basket, create a romantic and fun coupon book, and more!"
The kit includes:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Linking up at The Alabaster Jar, The Better Mom, What Joy is Mine, lowercase letters, A Proverbs 31 Wife, To Love, Honor and Vacuum
Want to spice up your and your spouse's love life?
A Biblical Marriage is giving away THREE copies of their Rekindling Romance eKit!
"With this kit you can crate a romantic night in, play a fun (& sexy) game, develop a romantic gift basket, create a romantic and fun coupon book, and more!"
The kit includes:
- 13 page eBooklet with date and gift idea details
- Coupon Book Printables
- Romantic Gift Basket Checklist
- A Strip Newlywed Game
- 10 Things I Love About You Printables
- 10 Quotes on Love and Marriage Printables
- Scavenger Hunt Printables
- Romantic Night In Printables
- Mix CD Cover Printable
You can print out whichever components you would like to use, and personalize them for gifts and fun dates with your spouse!
Note: This kit is designed to be used by married couples only. It includes components which would be inappropriate for use by any other couple.
This kit will help make your Valentine's Day celebrations extra-special, or lend a romantic touch to a date night.
If you don't win, you can purchase a kit for yourself and your spouse for just $4.99. This would also make a great gift for newlyweds! Check out A Biblical Marriage's post for more information and ideas.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Linking up at The Alabaster Jar, The Better Mom, What Joy is Mine, lowercase letters, A Proverbs 31 Wife, To Love, Honor and Vacuum
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