date night

After kids, date nights are a bit of a crap shoot. It’s tough to keep the romance alive amidst all of the sleepless nights, diaper changes and spit up, not to mention how terrifying  it is to leave your child with a sitter for the first time. However, taking the time to connect, even if you don’t leave the house, is more important than ever.

In a study conducted by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, W. Bradford Wilcox and Jeffrey Dew highlighted five reasons why date nights have strong correlations to healthy marriages:

1.Communication: Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings. arguments and distance between couples. These are feelings that chip away at marital happiness. Taking the time to get away, talk and focus on each other will build communication.

2. Novelty: Unique, shared experiences are important for long-term relationships. They help get you out of your routine.  If you try something new together, you will also create memories and inside jokes that you can share together for years to come.

3. Eros: Eros  or “romantic love”  is something you probably experienced at the beginning of your relationship. Making the time to remember what you love about your spouse helps keep that romantic love alive.

4. Commitment: By taking time out of your busy lives to schedule and devote time to each other, you are displaying your commitment. Letting your spouse know that you are committed to each other can solidify your bond.

5. De-stressing: Sometimes there is nothing I need more than to get out of my house, have a drink and share a laugh with my husband. It’s better than the best therapy!

Here are my ideas for Ten Great Summer Date Nights, five for when you can escape into the city and five you can do at home:

Host Your Own Outdoor Movie Night: This one can  be done at home in the backyard with a baby monitor. Download a movie on your iPad or laptop and then grab a blanket and a bottle of wine and head out to your backyard for a romantic movie night under the stars.

Get in Touch With Your Inner Child: Eat sugary cereal, play video games or board games, color or build a fort together, anything that you both loved to do as kids. You’ll have a blast and you might learn something about your spouse’s childhood that you never knew before.

Have a Culinary Adventure: Visit Hardywood on either Wednesday (West Creek)or Thursday evenings (Original location)for their famous Food Truck Court and order something off the menu from at least 4 food trucks. Take turns feeding each other and talking about your favorite meals as kids and your favorite  meals you’ve shared together.

Kid Around in an Amusement Park– If your kids are too young to visit King’s Dominion or Busch Gardens, there’s no reason you and your spouse have to miss out on the fun. August 4th-19th King’s Dominion is hosting their Beer and Barbecue Food Festival with great live music, craft beer and barbecue.

Plan a Mall Dare Adventure– Visit a local outdoor mall in the evening and, while you’re enjoying the summer weather, have fun with this dare game. Go through the mall and see how many dares you each can complete. Be sure to set up what the winner gets ahead of time.

Have Lawn Fun and Games- For those couples with a competitive spirit, set up the baby monitor in your yard and try a new outdoor game together like Molkky, Bocce Ball or Ladder Toss.

Go Star Gazing– The Perseid meteor shower started on Monday and continues until August 24th, with the peak on August 11th-August 13th. Grab a blanket and visit a local park after dark for some snuggles under the stars.

Plan a Lip Sync Battle– Use the free printables from The Dating Divas found here, for song and movie scene lip sync cards and have your own epic lip sync battle.

(If you can kill it like JGL, please send me the video! Seriously, is there anything that guy can’t do?)

Try Something Outdoorsy Together– Go on a Segway tour or take a SUP (Stand-up Paddleboarding) class on the James River.

Expand Your Mind Together- Listen to a podcast outside with your feet in a wading pool and cold drink in your hand or, if you’re a nerd like me, you can work on a puzzle together while listening to a best-selling audio book.

I never said it would be easy! ROFL

Focusing on our kids is always important and sometimes all-consuming, but taking time to connect with your spouse is honestly the best thing you can do for your kids, not just for your marriage. It may seem dramatic, but seeing parents with open communication and a deep commitment to each other will shape their childhood and all of their future relationships. So make time for each other and schedule that date night today!

♥ Erin

For all those old, married folks out there, when’s the last time you had a date night?  Does your idea of a night in together revolve around Netflix? Are you and your spouse so tired by the end of the day that you have a hard time having a conversation with each other, let alone time for romance? Before kids, my husband and I used to go out all the time. After three kids we are always exhausted, and actual date nights out may be few and far between, but we’ve found that you can still have a great time with your spouse even if you spend the evening at home. Put the kids to bed and try one of these date night ideas.

♥ 14 Stay At Home Date Night Ideas ♥

1.Cook Something Together. Getting into the kitchen and creating together forces you to communicate in a different, more organic way. Put on some music and have fun shimmying around the kitchen. I recommend signing up for Cook In, a 12 month subscription service that sends out monthly date boxes that include: A themed menu, recipes with ingredient list, movies to watch, songs to listen to, and conversation starters geared around your relationship.

2. Chopped: Couples Edition. Make your own version of the popular cooking show, Chopped. Both of you can shop for 4-6 strange ingredients and then challenge your spouse to make a dessert out of the things you’ve chosen. This is a great time to get creative and have fun!

3. Create Something for your Home. My husband and I used to enjoy making each other things for Valentine’s Day, but how much fun would it be to make something together for the home that we share? Try this  I love you because sign, these 11 creative ideas. or these 35 Ikea DIY hacks

4. Get Playful. Play a game of Twister, Boggle or Scrabble. I know this isn’t exactly a wild night out, but playing games together can lead to lots of laughs (like when my husband always has to spell balls or crotch because he thinks he’s still a teenager) and some great conversation.

5. Cuddle Around the Fire. If you don’t already have one, invest in a fire pit. You can find a decent one on Amazon for just over $40. Take turns making s’mores or just snuggle on your spouse’s lap.

6. Have Your Own Wine/Beer Tasting. Buy a few different types to try, along with some food that pairs well, such as chocolate or cheese. Write down your thoughts on what you’ve tasted and compare notes.

7. Discover Your Inner Pop Star. YouTube has a karaoke version of just about every song you can imagine. Invest in a microphone like this one and take turns singing your hearts out, or better yet, sing some duets!

8.  Dance the Night Away. You can still go dancing even if you’re stuck at home. Look for DVDs at your local library, on Amazon or search for specific dances on YouTube.

9. Create Your Own Game Room. This may require an investment, but it doesn’t have to be a large one and all it really takes is one game. For example, my husband and I set up a dart board in our garage. Our neighbors had a shuffle board table and it provided us with hours of amusement.  Check on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for great deals on air hockey tables, foosball tables, arcade games, etc.

10. Write, Share and Discuss Your Bucket Lists. You’ll be surprised what you’ll learn about each other, even if you’ve been together for a long time.

11. Plan Your Next Vacation. Visit Trip Advisor to create a folder of hotel, restaurant and attraction ideas for your next trip.

12. Have Your Own Paint Night. Find cheap canvases and paint at Michaels and don’t forget to use their weekly coupons. Look for paint night tutorials on YouTube.

13. Read and Discuss a Book Together. Try the books Color Code by Taylor Hartman, The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman or any of John Gottman’s relationship books.

14. Go Back to the Beginning. Write down the story of how you met and your first date and then take turns videotaping each other reading what you wrote. Keep the videos to share with your kids.

With the stresses and struggles of everyday life, it’s much more difficult for couples to sustain the romantic love they had when they got together. However, it can be done if you both agree to make it a priority. It may not look the way it did when you were first married, and keeping it may take time and effort, but it is worth it. Good luck!

♥ Erin

I usually write posts that I hope will help you as parents, but sometimes it’s nice to take a moment to remember that we have interests beyond our kids. One passion that my husband and I share is trying new restaurants. I thought it would be a good idea to share some info about the newest additions to Richmond’s restaurant scene.

18 New Restaurants to try in 2018:

Shagbark– American, New- 4901 Libbie Mill E Blvd. #175 With an emphasis on local, farm to table ingredients, chef Walter Bundy celebrates all that Virginia has to offer the culinary world. Everything is amazing, but I especially loved the cocktails and desserts.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 5 pm-9 pm and Friday and Saturday 5 pm-10 pm

Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon– Lebanese– 3601 Cox Road Suite A. My best friend in elementary school moved from Lebanon when she was ten. Eating here makes me feel like I’m back in her mom’s kitchen. The food is fresh and delicious and the service is warm and friendly.

Hours: Tues-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am- 11 pm, Sunday 12:30 pm-9 pm

Casa Italiana-Italian-8801 Three Chopt Rd Suite B. Growing up with an Italian grandmother, I’m pretty picky about what I consider “good” Italian food, and this place is the real deal! I love their pastas, their meatballs are amazing and it’s super family-friendly.

Hours: Monday – Saturday 11am – 10pm, Sunday 11am-9pm

Demi’s Kitchen-Mediterranean-4017 Macarthur Ave. If you love Stella’s, you’ll definitely enjoy this Lakeside restaurant. Their salads and dips are super fresh and tasty, and the Shrimp Santorini is to die for!

Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 5pm – 10pm, Friday & Saturday 5pm – 11pm and Sunday 5pm – 9pm

Flora– Mexican- 203 North Lombardy St. This upscale Mexican restaurant has one of my favorite dishes on their menu, conchinita pibil, so you know I had to give it a try. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I also loved the cocktail menu and the overall fun vibe of the place.

Hours: Tues-Sun 5 pm-2 am

Havana ’59 West End- Cuban-8902 W Broad St. Suite #D. Havana ’59 now has a second location in the Gold’s Gym Plaza off of Broad Street. They offer the same delicious Cuban food that you know and love from their downtown location.

Hours: Sun-Thurs  4:30 –10 pm, Fri-Sat  4:30 –11 pm, Lunch Mon-Sat 11 am –3 pm, Light Fare Daily 3–5 pm, Sunday Brunch  10 am –3 pm

Soulveur Bistro-Gourmet Soul Food-9545 Amberdale Drive,North Chesterfield, VA 23236 Their low-country menu is full of comfort food that will make your belly happy.

Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 11 am-8 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am-9 pm and Sunday 11 am-7 pm

Sen Organic Small Plate– Vietnamese/French- 2901 West Cary St. As the name suggests, everything here is organic, fresh and sustainable. The menu is full of healthy and interesting choices, and I LOVE their pho!

Hours: Mon, Wed and Thurs 11 am-3 pm and 5 pm-10 pm, Friday-Sunday 11 am-10 pm

Fighting Fish– Sushi/Poke- 317 N 2nd St. This is the only local restaurant I know of that serves delicious poke bowls as well as other fun dishes like the sushi donut and the sushi burrito. If you enjoy raw fish and trying new things, than this is the place for you!

Hours: M-F 11 am- 2 pm, M-Th 5 pm- 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 5 pm- 10 pm and Sunday 5 pm-9 pm

Laura Lee’s–  American, New- 3410 Semmes Ave, Richmond, VA 23225 Southern-Inspired cuisine and fabulous cocktails make this restaurant a must-visit. 

Hours: Mon-Thurs 4pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-11pm,  Sunday Brunch 10:30am – 2pm, Sunday Dinner
4pm-9pm

K-Town Kitchen and Bar– Korean- 9 North 4th St. If you’re ever looking for a fast, casual and delicious meal downtown, than this should be your go-to. The bulgogi is tender and flavored just right. The tofu is crispy, and the kimchi is spicy and delicious. It’s definitely worth a trip!

Hours: 11 am- 2 am daily

Little Saint– American, New-  2901 Park Ave. Little Saint offers a delicious menu of locally farmed and sourced seasonal cuisine. This is also a great restaurant to take friends with food allergies or dietary restrictions because they pay special attention to these things. 

Hours: Sun-Th 10am–10pm, Fri-Sat 10am–11pm

Brenner Pass-European (Alpine)- 3200 Rockbridge St. Suite 100 This stylish restaurant has a menu full of delicious and interesting dishes, many of which I’d never heard of before. Our waiter was very kind and patient with all of our questions and we really enjoyed our entire experience here. I’d recommend it for a special occasion.

Hours: 5 pm-10 pm Monday-Thursday, 5 pm-11 pm Friday and Saturday and Brunch Sunday 11 am- 3 pm

Beauvine Burger Concept– Burgers and Shakes- 1501 W. Main St. My mouth is watering just thinking about the amazing burger that I had here! All of their delicious burgers are available with local beef, turkey or as vegan veggie burgers, and their shakes, like the salted maple caramel or the fruity pebbles, are creative and big enough to share. They also have an extensive and inventive list of cocktails, adult shakes, beer and wine and soon they’ll be serving brunch! If you go, don’t miss the duck fat fries!

Hours: 11 am- 2 am daily.

Goatocado-Casual Lunch and Dinner-1823 W Main St.  With a seasonally changing menu of fresh, local ingredients and a environmentally conscious kitchen, dining at Goatocado is a choice you can feel good about. They have the bowls that you know and love from their food truck days, but their choose your own adventure menu also includes wraps, pho, arepas, mac n’ cheese, etc. They have something for the health food lover, the carb queen and everyone in between.

Hours: Tues-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am-10 pm and Sunday 11 am-7 pm

The Circuit– Games, Drinks, Bar Food– 3121 W Leigh St. From their website: The Circuit Arcade Bar has over 50 throwback arcade & pinball machines, as well as  an enormous, 50-tap, self-serve wall that provides a wide variety of craft beer, cider & wine. With a pay-per-ounce system you will be able to pour as little or as much of any one selection as you want.  Our “self-service” atmosphere includes our delicious menu.  Why wait for a server instead of ordering when YOU want?  Food can be ordered both from your phone and from any of our self-service kiosks.

Hours: 5 pm-11 pm Sunday-Thursday and 5 pm-1 am Friday and Saturday

Mon Chou– Dessert-306 E Grace St. This French patisserie carries only organic and non-GMO desserts. With macaron flavors that change daily, and a great tea menu, this would be a great place to stop for a fun afternoon date!

Hours: Wed-Saturday 12-8 pm

SB’s Lakeside Loveshack– Breakfast, Brunch-6935 Lakeside Ave. Breakfast is served all day at this charming Lakeside restaurant. The menu items are creative, delicious, and themed after the B-52’s song that we all know and love. Knock a Little Louder Sugar Buns, anyone?

Hours: Tues-Fri 6 am-2 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am-2 pm

Is it just me or are these two having way too much fun in the grocery store! Date night!

It’s time, folks. Let’s make date nights a priority and make 2018 the year of adventurous eating!

♥ Erin