I wrote a long post and then somehow erased it. Damn.
Basically, I was rambling on about what a typical week night looks like in our house. We are both exhausted. We eat dinner, then lay in bed, and watch TV. That’s it. No, really. That is the long and the short of it. Sometimes our laptops are out while we partake in marathon TV watching. We are amazing multi-taskers over here.
I don’t really have a problem with our typical evening, because lately my motivation to look presentable after 8 p.m. on any given week day is not so good. But, since we started the-fertility-treatment-that-shall-not-be-named, we’ve been in a slump. Slumps in a marriage are when the term “date night” starts to get thrown around.
Ahhhh, date night.
L and I have reinstated a weekly date night. The best part is that it is the least fancy date night that ever existed. We agree on an evening. It varies from week to week depending on work schedules. Then we pick up some sandwiches for dinner, and drive to the beach to watch the sunset. It is about as cheap as it gets, and as simple as it gets.
I have my best friend by my side, good conversation, and the ocean. So far that is what is getting me through some really tough times.
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hemborgwife
Because girls never say it enough to each other my first thought when I saw the pics was that you are so pretty! Other then that yes we do date nights because like you said otherwise each night is the same and it gets dull!
Terri
I agree with HemborgWife that you are VERY pretty. I would love to do this with my husband, but he works long hours during the week so everything gets pushed to the weekend. We do make sure to have some quality time on the weekends though. I would love to live close to the beach, but we do live close to a river and a pretty nice skyline. 🙂
honey my heart
we had also fallen into a routine that included computer play and lots of tv after work, but found that walks after dinner and date nights added a little fun to the regular schedule 🙂 so glad to see you enjoying time with L!
Our Wired Lives
Yup… our rough patches have date nights thrown in for the same reason. Even though I believe that the beauty of life comes in the typical and the transitions, the date nights and those special nights make it easier to get through the rough. This is for sure.
-J.Darling
I wish I could say we "plan" date nights, but we don't. With My Sailor's schedule, planning more than 24 hours ahead is a LUXURY. (I actually miss planning dates!) If we have a special event we want to make it to, I get the tickets, tell him the date, and if he can be free that time, great! If he can't, then I either fly solo, grab a friend, or sell the tickets. But that's for special events like concerts, etc.
I guess one advantage to being military is this: knowing that he could be called away to go under the waves for 3 months at any time keeps us from taking ANY free time together for granted.
Like you, the simplest things become a "date night". Sometimes it's a night in watching movies w/ some air popped popcorn. Sometimes it's going for a walk to the Marina together. Lately (since he's currently on an 8pm-3am shift) it's been breakfast together in the house, or on our porch.
It's a little extra challenging w/ a roommate around, but we're working on it. 🙂 I think that's why we seize his leave (aka "vacation" to the rest of us) and make sure we make some time for us.
-J.Darling
Oh yeah – and it helps to not have TV. lol We finally ditched the cable bill and signed up for Hulu.com, Netflix, and bought a Roku. :)We get 99% of our favorite shows for free w/o having to worry about a DVR or anything like that. Takes the urgency out of watching TV and eliminates a bill! I highly recommend it! 🙂
completelyrandomsally
I love that you are setting the time aside to do this. Perfect.
Vanessa
Most of our evening nights involve cooking dinner, doing a few things around the house, then playing on the laptops/me watching TV/Him reading. We try to, at least once a week, go out and go to dinner or grab ice cream. Something outside of the house and just enjoy each other. After being together for 7.5 years, I still love date night! 8)
thelessthandomesticgoddess
@hemborgwife: Thank you, sweet friend! That made my day.
@Terri: Thank you so much, Terri! 🙂 And I totally understand the dilemma of long work hours. We have about six months during the year where we don't eat dinner together. It's rough. Glad you find time on the weekends, though!
@honey my heart: Thanks, J! On an unrelated note, how about them Lakers? 😉
@Our Wired Lives: I could not agree more!
@J. Darling: Did you guys have your wedding yet?! I'm so behind on blog reading. I'm gonna check your blog tonight. Also, thank you for the TV suggestion! I am so tempted to get rid of our cable bill!
@completelyrandomsally: <3
@Vanessa: Me too! I think date night is a must; especially when you have been together for awhile. Glad to hear you guys love it! 🙂
-J.Darling
We did! August 12th. Waiting on the pro photos and videos, and I'm working on a run down of events on the blog, but we've got SO much going on right now. Month end is always a nightmare at work for me (no days off until next weekend) and we're starting the adoption exploration – so honestly, I want to write about that more than anything else. 🙂
ehomaha
This is so funny you post this – I feel like our TTC struggle has really helped us to focus on date nights too! And I agree – there are months, weeks, days, where it is all that keeps me going. A break, a laugh, a dinner I didn't have to cook 🙂 For us, date nights are a must!