Are Date Nights a thing of the past?

I had a conversation with one of my very best friends where she asked, when was the last time you went on a date with your husband? Honestly, I couldn’t remember. Before COVID, my husband and I tried to have date nights at least once a month. I honestly think that lasted a month. Between kids, jobs, and trying to keep a semi-clean house, date nights usually made its way to the “try again next time” pile.

The last time we went out together sans the kids, we were adamant about making it work. We had intentions on heading out Friday after work to hang out at one of the many breweries in Charlotte. I researched them all and found a few that were within walking distance of each other. It was the perfect setting. I was ready! Noon came around; still excited, 2pm; yup can’t wait, 4:30pm…..ughhhhh the Friday traffic that we’ll have to deal with stuck in my mind! Needless to say, by 5pm, the excitement of finally getting out the house waned. By the time 7:30 came around, I was in my pj’s catching up on Money Heist on Netflix. My husband didn’t seem upset at all as he sat on the couch catching up on a few games.

Fast forward to the present where wearing face coverings is considered the new normal. Although people are venturing out little by little, there are still many precautions that one needs to take to be safe. CNN posted this article about patrons with COVID likely to still dine out. I consider myself a foodie so to say this scares me a bit is an understatement. But even in the midst of the pandemic and every other important thing vying for our daily attention, there is a silver lining. You can have a date night wherever you choose, in your home, the park or on a walk. I’ve included my top five ideas for having and keeping…keyword….a date night simple and just as good as dressing up and going on an actual date.

Take a stroll through the park

My husband and I went to Lake Wylie, a waterfront park and marina, a few Saturdays ago just to get out and enjoy some fresh air. There were people cruising around in sailboats, fishing and some were just sitting quietly reading a book. We actually brought our lunch from Chick-fil-A and were able to snag a picnic table near the water. We just sat, ate, admired the view and talked about nothing. Afterwards, we walked the boardwalk a bit and honestly just enjoyed each others company. We stayed about two hours before heading home but it was truly refreshing to just “Be” with him.

Go for a drive

I know for some this may not make sense but I really love going for a drive. Whether its with my husband or kiddos, I love driving around without a destination in mind. One Sunday afternoon, I convinced my husband to explore the Uptown area of Charlotte. It was right at dusk so the skyscrapers were starting to light up in all of its beautiful glory. We drove past the Panthers stadium, located new restaurants we would try and found so many beautiful parks. We even stopped at one of the restaurants to grab dessert which we ate in the car. We drove back home, after tossing any evidence of us having dessert without the kids, with the windows rolled down and blasting some old hip hop tunes. It was the perfect ending to an impromptu date,

Movie night (bedroom edition)

I love movie night with my husband. Its normally a cheesy Netflix movie that one of us has chosen. We normally purchase a bottle of our favorite wine (here and here) along with a variety of fruit. Of course, this has to take place after putting little D to bed. To set the mood, we’ll add some a few cheap candles around the room. We typically end up laughing hysterically at the simpleness of the movie (maybe the wine has something to do with it). We simply have a blast whenever we have movie night. If you’re wondering what movie has us in stitches, check out “Always be my Maybe” on Netflix. Its predictable but I promise you wont be disappointed.

Backyard oasis

Last summer, we bought a really nice patio set from Lowes. Its affixed with the small led lights on the inside. Since it was a nice day, almost fall weather in the summer, my husband threw some shrimp and vegetables on the grill. We got the kids settled in with burgers and dogs and put on a movie for them in their rooms. We opened the umbrella, brought out the JBL speaker and played songs from our phones. We made sure to have the mosquito and fly candle traps on deck. Surprisingly, the kids didn’t come downstairs one time to ask for anything. I still found myself going upstairs to check on them and they were still watching their movies and playing with action figures. It felt serene to just sit outside and chill with the hubby while scoffing down some amazing shrimp and veggies.

Paint & Sip at home

I never really got into paint & sip until the pandemic hit and I was scrounging for more things to do at home with the kids. I ordered two canvases which came with paints and brushes as well as a paint guide. We had the option to paint via Zoom with an instructor or try a solo paint. We opted for the latter. Painting, surprisingly, felt so good. I don’t think I painted since I was a kid. My husband enjoyed it as well. It was funny watching him try to be creative and not go by the guide. Now to be fair, this started as a date night idea but ended up as a family night as the kids wanted to be included. We still had a ball blasting music while trying to be Picasso. Not to mention, our masterpieces turned out better than expected with the help of our kids.

As you can see, date night doesn’t have to be limited by the pandemic. It doesn’t have to be expensive and it can be a bit unconventional. Its really what you make it. So what date night ideas do you recommend? Let’s chat!!!

*Kee*