weekly date tip

Weekly Tip #8 ~ Dinner Night

Rekinding your romancePreparation:
Read Susie Michelle Cortright's article Spice it Up: Tips for the Ultimate Intimate Dinner. Is your mind spinning around, thinking about the possibilities?

Decide on the night and who is going to do what. Perhaps one of you will be getting the kids bathed and ready for bed while the other one begins cooking your dinner. Make a list of what you need for your meal and make sure one of you has time during the week to buy everything. Maybe one of you can buy everything on the way home from work; if you're planning a weekend date, one of you can take the kids on a play date while the other does the shopping. Be organized, plan and delegate between the two of you.

The Date:
Plan a meal for just the two of you after the kids are asleep. Dress up is you wish but don't do it if you're too tired. Eat at the dining room table with a nice tablecloth, dishes, and glasses - nothing plastic or paper will do! Dim the lights, light candles and play your favorite mood music. Relax, enjoy, talk . . . pretend you're at the most romantic restaurant in town. TAKE YOUR TIME!

After dinner, clean up the mess together and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere you've created. Use your imagination for what comes next . . .

Time Involved:
Planning time (menu planning, who is going to do what checklist) will be 15-30 minutes. Shopping time for your meal depends on what you already have at home and what you need at the store. Prep time for your meal and setting the table can take from 15 minutes to an hour. Think about that when you're planning what to eat (if you're short on time, try to find something faster to cook). Your meal time should take the longest :). Clean up time should be about 15 minutes.

Cost:
The cost of the date depends on what you're eating. Lobster and champagne costs more than meatloaf.

Follow-up:
How did it go? Did you enjoy the time together? Did you keep the date? Have you scheduled time for next week (next month)?

See you next week!

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