Date Night.....Our Way

Date night has always been important to us. It's important to make time to be alone together. We flirt every day but still find it's important to maintain our connection. When it's rainy or colder then 45 degrees, I'm sitting inside. But that time is spent with Josh on the computer as we talk about what we're watching on TV or something similar. That's not the same as connecting. On date night we talk about things we have in common, our day, things we love about Zach, our family, what we would like for the future, and what we love about each other.

Our budget is $20 most Fridays but once a month we have an Applebee's date night with a $50 budget. On Applebees date night I wear a skirt and high heels. If it's a "crashed date night", meaning Zach's with us, I wear flats with the skirt. Most nights are Burger King, Chinese, or Pizza. May through October is lake season for my Parents where they stay at their summer house. Most times during those months are "crashed dates". It's easier when it gets colder to have that alone time.

One recent thing we tried is having our normal family dinner on Wednesdays but then Josh and I leaving Zach with Grandma and Pop for a couple of hours while we take time to connect. I call those half dates and they are great substitutes. Pick up time is 8:30 and Zach has had his bath. They all enjoy it. Josh's parents used to be able to babysit sometimes but health issues have gotten in their way. They also are caring for Jake, Josh's twin with Cerebral Palsy, and that takes a lot of work too. Zach sees them at least once a weekend on most weekends but babysitting isn't possible. I know they enjoyed it when they were able to babysit though, he's an enjoyable kid.

Due to our limited budget our dates usually include walking after dinner and talking. That's how it's been our whole relationship. This is what we love doing. Our first date was Burger King, Armageddon the movie in the theater (1998) and walking. It was a fantastic date.

As I have established different walking routes for different purposes we decided together to find one that's just for when it's just the two of us. Yesterday we added a little extra. It takes an hour and a half (mentioned in exercise vs. appointments) but it's something we both enjoy. It's special because this route is just us.

But as I mentioned in that Exercise vs. Appointments post what about if it's rainy or too hot/cold? Our temperature range is 30 - 90 degrees but what about other then that? Josh knows about my dance and exercise routines. Before I got pregnant with Zach I had created one for him with his music doing exercises he likes. We decided to combine the gym routine and his routine and work out together. A date night routine. It goes as follows:

1. Stretching
2. Stomach
3. Stepper (him doing the same things on the floor)
4. 1 lb weights (the stepper exercises with the weights Josh will use ankle weights)
5. Tae Bo
6. Zumba
7. 3lb Weights (for me Josh will use the weights in the garage from his routine)
8. Walking (includes hop, skip, jump, and gallop too)
9. Pilates standing
10. Yoga Standing
11. Pushups
12. Resistabands

1 - 10 have been posted previously but the push ups and resistabands are from his routine. Actually, it turns out there is a lot of overlap thanks to Tae Bo. Push ups are going to challenge me but the resistaband leg exercises are fun. It's better then walking around three different stores each until we're dizzy which is what we used to do.

The Gym Routine
http://homewithmommy-fran.blogspot.com/2012/02/ultimate-exercise-routine.html

11. Gasoline:  chorus-pushups cat final chorus - snake (Fran) flat (Josh)

12. Seal It With A Kiss: Chorus-up and down, right foot, left foot breakdown-flex and point toes

11. Push Ups (Gasoline)

12. Resistabands (Seal It With A Kiss)

Josh says he wants to do this with me because it's something I love to do that he wants to be a part of. He said he misses his routine and really likes how we set this up. I had to get Zach his own 2lb weights (and my spare 1lb) because he loves to dance and exercise too so now he can do his own routine. When it's too cold to walk he'll need to exercise somehow so this puts him in control of what he does, treating the weights like toys, and letting him make exercise fun in his own way. It's encouraging something healthy.

 I don't know how the Date Night routine is going to go yet. It's going to start a lot like me teaching Josh the routines as we go until he knows them but he's been talking about how excited he is to do this and I feel the same way. It'll take just under an hour then we can spend the rest of the date connecting including over this new couple thing we are doing together that's just for us. I only will do push ups and resistabands with him.