Date Night Challenge week 3

We had date 3 yesterday, and we were also celebrating 5 months of marriage.  It was the perfect night for this weeks topic  Reminisce Together.  The instructions were to go somewhere and/or do something that was meaningful to you both and your relationship.  It started off with him surprising me with my favorite flowers, orchids, and some cupcakes from this amazing gourmet cupcakery that we went to several times when we were first dating.  I surprised him with a bottle of wine that he really likes.  Then we went to downtown and walked around some antique shops to find some fun treasures.  Then, we went out for sushi, something we love!  During dinner, we asked each other the 15 discussion questions that were very focused on reminiscing on your relationship.  Some of the questions were:  ”what do you remember about our first date?”, “what are some of the things that you value about me?”, “what stands out about our marriage proposal?”, “what are you favorite moments of our wedding ceremony?”,  ”What’s the best gift I’ve ever given you and why is it so special to you?”, etc.  When we got home, we planned on looking at our wedding photos and DVD, but we ended up eating the cupcakes and finishing the wine, and things went in a different direction.  So far, it was the more romantic and intimate date.  Can’t wait for the next date challenge!

cheers!

Date Night Challenge week 2

Last night, hubby and I had our date night, as part of the 2013 date night challenge.  This week, it was do an activity together and there were 15 discussion questions to ask each other to get to know more about the person and even a few about how they see things with you or how you might influence them.  We went out to dinner and just took time to really answer each question.  It was great discussion and I of course loved his company.  Then we went to see Les Miserables at the movie theater.  I have been wanting to see this movie so badly, and he was sweet enough to agree to go with me, even though he had no idea what it was about and knew it was musically based.  We both LOVED it!  (go see it if you haven’t already!!)  At the end of our date, we talked about what to do for our next date, which is supposed to be to go somewhere that is very meaningful to us as a couple.  There are a few ideas we need to pick from….stay tuned.  Anyone out there doing the date night challenge?

Goal Setting

My wonderful friend, Dawn, hosted a 2013 goal setting tea today.  It was me and about 18 other ladies who gathered at her house, had some tea and baked goods, and went through a goal setting workshop.  First you evaluate where you are in different areas of your life, such as career, family, finances, physical, emotional, spiritual, etc. Then take a few areas where your scores are low, and develop a collage of dreams on what you want your life to look like.  Then you take those ideas and set short term, intermediate, and long term goals.  From there, you break those down into action steps.  You can focus on just one area at a time, or multiple.  We are going to meet quarterly to review where we are at, and are in the process of setting up a networking group online to keep each other accountable, bounce ideas, share successes, etc.  Our homework for now is to set up our colleges/dream boards.   My goals are going to be starting a photography business, developing a strong foundation for my marriage, and getting healthy.  Here are my boards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you set yearly goals?  To me it is building off of some of my New Years resolutions, but with a more detailed plan using an action sheet.

Date Night Challenge

Being newly married, I wanted to make sure that hubby and I were setting a firm foundation for our marriage.  I was looking online at some resources and came across the Date Night Challenge 2013 from a christian organization called Focus on the Family.  Their premise is that research shows that dating at least once per month significantly improves a relationship and can strengthen a marriage.  I immediately signed us up.  We are not doing the whole church wide event, just the dates for us.

It starts by having you and partner go on one date per week for the first 3 weeks, and then once a month after that.  Each week there is a theme for the date, as well as questions to ask each other for deeper reflection afterwards.  As a part of my personal blogging challenge for this year, I will blog about each date (the PG version).

We started Date Night #1 on January 1st.  I think it is quite fitting as the best way to start off a new year.  The theme for this week was

Date 1: Laugh and Play Together

Couples that play together, stay together

One of the best ways to ensure your marriage arrives at its desired destination is through playful activity. The enjoyable times we spend together are the lifeblood of a marriage. In fact, while researching their book Fighting for Your Marriage, the authors discovered that “the amount of fun [couples] had together emerged as the strongest factor in producing their overall marital happiness.”

The bottom line: If we never laugh and play with our spouse, emotional connection and intimacy fade. We need to do what King Solomon encouraged: “Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which [God] has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life” (Ecclesiastes 9:9, NASB).

 

Date Night Rules

Make sure to turn off your phones, dress up a little, be polite, compliment each other, be affectionate, etc. Make sure you protect your date night from conflict; if a conflict arises, agree to talk about it another time. Just focus on each other and on your date.

The theme was laugh and play together.  We were given a list of activities to pick from, such as karaoke, going dancing, going to a sporting event, going ice skating/sledding, go to a park and go swing, etc.  We made our own activity of going to play miniature golf.  Cell phones were left in the car and we decided not to talk about money or work.  It was a beautiful day outside, with the sun shining, some clouds in the sky, and the temperature around 65-70.  There were a few other couples and families at the course, but we had no one immediately in front or behind us so we were able to take our time and really enjoy the moment.  There were many laughs had at our golfing mishaps, such as when I hit the ball so hard it went off the course, bounced around a bench and some sidewalk and ended up bouncing its way back onto the course, or even laughing at ourselves and our jokes and comments towards each other.  It was even sweeter for me when I won by 7 points

After our golf activity, we were instructed to go somewhere for a drink/coffee/etc to unwind and then given a few questions to ask each other regarding our time together, such as “what was your favorite part about our date”,  ”what’s one thing you learned about me that you didn’t know before”.  We chose to go to Starbucks and use a Christmas gift card for a peppermint mocha for me and peppermint hot chocolate for him.  It was nice to just sit, relax, have no distractions, and really focus on each other and the fun that we just had.    After that, we planned our next activity for Date #2 next week….stay tuned

Five Question Friday

Yay, it’s Friday! and…..it’s the first Friday of 2013!  Which brings us to our first installment of Five Question Friday for 2013.  Sponsored by fivecrookedhalos blog.  Please feel free to answer the questions yourself in the comments section or in your own blog.

1. Have you set any goals/resolutions for 2013?
yes, but from my last post, you know I haven’t really kept most of them.  They are to be vegetarian 2 times per week, drink a green smoothie at least 5 times per week, cut down on carbs, stop drinking soda and coffee, dessert once per month, date night with my husband a least once per month, and go back to photography school.
2. Have you made any travel/vacation plans for 2013?
Not officially.  We have talked about going up the CA coast near the Napa Valley area, maybe a Vegas trip, and possibly a trip to either Florida or NY to visit my family.
3. What room is never cleaned in your house?

They are all really cleaned at least 1-2 times per month and then get touch ups more regularly.
4. What food must be in your house at all times?

Fruit! usually bananas and apples, and now they are needed daily for my green smoothies.  Also, chicken.

5. Are you a hugger or more of a hands off person?

I am a hugger  unless the person is giving me bad vibes and seems unfriendly and unapproachable.

Happy Friday!

What resolutions?

Well today is January 3rd.  Just 3 days ago, as we were ringing in the new year, I made some resolutions, and yet here I am 3 days later, having already broken almost every one of them.  OOPS!  However, I have decided that I will not cry about it or get down on myself about it, but have resolved to start over, and take it one day at a time.    One of my new goals is to eat vegetarian twice per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, since that works best for schedule.    And in doing so, I don’t want to go overboard on carbs on those days…..this is where I need your help cyberblog friends.  I would love to hear any tips/suggestions you might have on eating vegetarian, and also ask you to please share favorite recipes with me.   I have been looking to Pinterest for some ideas, but would really like to hear from all of you on things you have actually made and like.