top ten tuesday

like last week, this week's top ten has not been created by yours truly, but by our old pastor in seattle.

he had posted some great date night tips on facebook for married couples that i've enjoyed reading.  you can also head here for the complete list.  so, here they are...

my top 10 favorite date night tips from pastor mark (in no particular order):

1. Husbands, plan out your date nights. Ask you wife in advance what sounds good, see what your options are, and make a plan. She’ll be thankful.

2. Dads, moms who stay home all day with the kids need to get dressed up, taken out, and have some adult conversation with their husbuddy.

3. Time with other couples now and then is OK, but if most date nights involve other people, there is likely an intimacy disconnect in the marriage.

4. When life gets crazy, the kids are sick, etc. is there any way to sneak in a bit of a date night at home with say a soak in the tub together, glass of wine etc. after the kids go to sleep? [we do this one often, since we're on a tight budget.  and even though ty is older, he's still sent up by 9 p.m. so we can have couple-quite time together.  i love these moments.]

5. Sometimes sending the kids out to someone’s house and having a date night at home can be cheap and fun if planned right.

6. Men, you don’t pursue a woman to marry her and stop pursuing her. You pursue a woman to marry her and pursue her with more passion and creativity than ever. How’s it going husbands? [i will say that my husband makes me feel like i'm still being pursued as if we were still dating.  it keeps our relationship lively, fresh and feeling like new. not to mention that it makes me feel special each day.  thanks, husband.]

7. Ladies, sometimes it’s a great gift to go into your husband’s world for a date night by doing something like putting on a jersey going to a game and eating a hot dog. His love language may just be hot dog. [or staying up until the wee hours of the morning to see channel 3.]

8. Sometimes the best date night is date breakfast, date lunch, or surprise pick up your spouse from work for an hour at a hotel.

9. Sometimes takeout is fun and a drive to somewhere more private to turn it into a picnic or adventure.

10. Every once and a while you just have to have a redneck date night and go bowling, play pool, or throw darts. If nothing else, enjoy people watching.  [i don't know if i'd consider bowling a "redneck" activity (i will have to clarify with my arkansan friends...lol!), but we do have fun people watching.  karaoke is also fantastic for that too.]

i cherish our date nights and look forward to them, no matter how fancy or simple they may be.