In honor of Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I’m sharing a few ways my husband and I stay connected.
We’ve been married a little over nine years. I say that not to declare how awesome we are; I say that because we are still very much newbies at this.
Our three children bring us SO much joy. They also bring an incredible amount of work and stress. Brad and I were lucky to be best friends before we got married, and that friendship has sustained us through these very busy years. But we were drifting towards feeling like roommates instead of “man and wife.” So, this past year, we’ve stepped up our game in trying to purposefully nourish our marriage. And that means taking some time away from the kids on a regular basis. (We’re leaving on a five day trip sans kids soon, and I’m so excited and so nervous!)
Here’s our top-five favorite ways to connect:
1) REGULAR DATE NIGHTS: We secured an every-other-week babysitter and it’s life-changing. To have that set has helped us immensely. We’ve also been taking turns planning, and although our dates tend to be simple, it’s nice to know the other person has it covered. Money spent on a babysitter and date is a lot cheaper than money spent on therapy.
2) MOVIES: Brad and I both love movies–but for the longest time, we never actually went to see them. (#toocheap) We’ve been starting to pick up our movie attendance and it’s crazy how much fun that is for us. We always smuggle in some treats and get to sit and chat beforehand, and it lends us days of something to talk about afterward too.
3) CHILLING and TALKING: After the kids go down for bed, instead of chilling on opposite sides of the room doing our own things, we try to at least sit on the couch together. We usually end up chatting a bunch there, but we also try to actually talk to each other over our children’s requests.
4) AT-HOME DATES: When we can’t get a sitter, we LOVE watching something at home together. We’re pretty simple! Some episodes from the Office or Scrubs, some ice cream, and Brad sitting on my always-cold feet and we’re happy!
5) CUDDLE: Nothing is better than ending my day by setting my head on the crook of Brad’s muscly arm. It’s just the nicest pillow! And while we’re not super affectionate in public, at home we like to be by each other and holding hands/cuddling.
Pssst, want another V-Day post that’s a little different? Check out mine from last year, where I wrote a letter to the boy who broke my heart!
What do you do to connect with your spouse?
Some other ladies are sharing on a similar topic today! Feel free to check them out and if you’d like to participate in a similar series, make sure to sign up on Kiana or Madeline’s blogs.
HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT VALENTINE’S DAY!
So true, date nights are definitely cheaper than therapy! LOL! 🙂 I think a date night is in order this weekend.
I love this list! Date nights are seriously so essential. It's been so long since I've seen a movie in theaters!
You guys are such a great couple! Yes, date nights are so important! Also, Greg and I love going for long walks and drives together. Our kids tend to fall asleep, eat snacks, and stay pretty quiet and happy while riding in the car or double stroller, and we have some of our best conversations during these times!
Love all these, especially cuddling. That's one of our favorites. That's so great that you have a sitter you can count on! If we had one, or family that was closer, I think we'd get out alone more often. Perhaps I should look for one…soon.