Art Night

Put the kids to bed a little early tonight and have a paint party at home. Creating something together can be a fun way to spend time together. Decide whether or not you want to paint on the same canvas or have separate ones. Create something that you can hang in your home. Here are the supplies you need to create a paint party at home:

1.       Paint- you can get acrylic paints at your local craft store or even grocery store. If you plan on hanging it in your room or somewhere else in your home you could match the colors to that rooms color scheme.

2.       Canvas- get a larger one if painting together or two smaller ones if you want to paint separately.

3.       Paint mixing containers- paper plates, old bowls etc. Anything you have laying around that you can mix your paint in.

4.       Brushes- pick up an inexpensive variety pack to give you some more options.

5.       Water-fill up some bowls with water to help clean your brushes.

6.       Newspapers-for an easy cleanup

For a treat to go along with this date pick up a fun drink you like and make a fruit platter with some dip. Cut up some apples, grapes, strawberries, pineapple and banana. I like this recipe from the blog Celebrating Sweets.

Healthier Chocolate Fruit Dip

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces light/reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature

2/3 cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

4 tablespoons powdered sugar or more to taste

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Fresh fruit and/or pretzels for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add yogurt, cocoa powder and powdered sugar and beat until combined. Taste and add more powdered sugar or more cocoa powder, if desired. Stir in chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on the top of the dip right before serving. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Enjoy spending time doing something creative together. Spend time talking while you paint. Hang up your painting so you can remember your date night together. 

Salsa Date Night at Home

This week’s great date at home is a salsa dance party. It is an easy and creative date to put together. First off research some at home YouTube tutorials. I like this channel myself.  YouTube even allows you to create a playlist of specific videos which will help make your dance lesson easier. Create a playlist of 3 to 4 videos that you think you and your spouse will enjoy.

Make some refreshments for your date. Make some chips and salsa with homemade Queso. Spend the evening dancing check to check with your spouse. Enjoy being in each other’s arms, and learn something new. Eat some yummy refreshments and spend time connecting with each other.

Here is a recipe that I like to use:

• 1/2 a yellow onion, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, deseeded & diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded & diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour 
• 1-1 1/2 cups of half & half (adjust according to desired thickness)
• 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated*
• 4 ounces of pepper jack cheese, finely grated
• 4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed
• 1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chiles, undrained
• 7 ounces (1/2 a can) of fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained OR fresh tomatoes diced
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• Sea salt, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• *Note: I urge you to buy block cheese and grate it by hand, as pre-shredded cheese is covered in anti-caking ingredients that can cause it to clump instead of melting into a smooth dip.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prep the ingredients first so you're not distracted while making the cheese dip: peel and dice the onion, dice the poblano and jalapeno pepper (after removing the stem and seeds), peel & mince the garlic, shred both the cheeses, cube the cream cheese, measure out the butter, flour (or preferred thickener), and half & half, and drain and measure out the tomatoes. Set the sea salt, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, lime, and chopped green chiles to the side to add last.
2. Add the cooking oil to a skillet set over medium heat. Follow this with the diced onion, jalapeno, and poblano. Sprinkle the veggies with a little sea salt (to taste) and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and set aside.
3. Add the butter to a saucepan set over medium-low heat and let it melt. Slowly sprinkle in the flour a bit at a time, stirring constantly, then let the butter/flour (roux) mixture cook for about 5 minutes, or until it's lightly browned. Slowly pour in the half & half, stirring constantly (and well) to prevent clumps.
4. Bring the mixture up to a slight simmer (you will see bubbles form around the edge of the milk), reduce the heat to LOW, then slowly add the shredded cheese about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent clumps or the cheese from separating. The KEY to success here is to let each portion of cheese melt fully before adding the next amount.
5. Once all the shredded cheese is fully incorporated and smooth, add the cream cheese in chunks and stir until fully dissolved. Gently fold in the cooked onion, peppers, garlic, diced green chiles (undrained), tomatoes (drained), cumin powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Taste the mixture and add sea salt to taste, as well as more spices, if you feel necessary. Remove from heat and serve immediately with chips or your favorite dipping foods.

Recipe Source

Scary Movie Date Night

Source: lmtless.com

This weeks at home date idea is sure to get your heart racing! While it is fun to watch scary movies closer to Halloween, shake things up and do this date in the middle of summer. Pop some popcorn and get some movie theater like candy. Both Dollar Tree and Walmart have boxed candy for a $1. Grab some soda too if you like it. Light some candles in the living room, and wait until dark to watch your scary movie. There are plenty of scary movies outside of slasher films if that is what you prefer. Here is a list of some that are a little more tame: 

 

When a Stranger Calls

 The Others

Insidious

The Sixth Sense

The Village

The Skeleton Key

The House at the End of The Street

The Messengers

Here is the link to another list for great PG-13 Scary Movies. 

So cuddle up and enjoy the jumps, chills, and screams tonight with your scary movie night!

Lets Be Kids Date Night

Picture Source

This is a new twist to a at home date night. This week’s date night is all about being a kid. This is a great Saturday morning date. Preparation for this date is easy and it doesn’t cost much. First pick out a favorite sugary cold cereal you used to love as a kid, pick out one for your spouse as well. Pick up a fun children’s board game that you enjoy, there are many available like trouble, candy land, chutes and ladders and connect 4. Uno is also a great option. If you have some Lego's laying around get those out too, or any other kind of building toy.

Picture Source

Wake up early and make yourself and your spouse some yummy kid cereal. Then watch some Saturday morning cartoons together, or find some of your favorite kids shows from your past on YouTube or other streaming services. Saturday morning cartoons was a favorite pastime of my husband.  Then play the board game you choose. Another fun activity would be to give yourself a 30 second time limit to build something fun and unique out of your Lego's. Or even spend time building a masterpiece together. While you are building spend time talking about your childhood. Talk about things you loved as a kid. If you have children talk about what you want their childhood to be like. Being intentional about your conversation during date night helps build intimacy and closeness with your partner. 

Pizza Party

Picture Source

At Home Date Night: Pizza Party

This weeks at home date night idea is a pizza party at your house. Make your own pizza dough beforehand or buy pre-made pizza dough. My local grocery store has it near the deli for less than $4. Buy all kinds of different toppings like mushrooms, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, different cheeses, etc. Pick up a salad and some drinks if you choose. Turn on some romantic music and make pizzas for your date. Or switch it up and make pizzas for each other. Spend time talking and doing something together. Pair the pizza party with a fun movie of your husband’s choice.

While your pizzas are cooking play this version of the newlywed game. The newlywed game judges how well you know your spouse. Here are some question ideas:

Name your spouse’s favorite movie.

Name your spouse’s favorite candy bar.

Name your spouse’s favorite restaurant.

Name your spouse’s favorite food.

What would be a romantic date to your spouse?

What does your spouse like to do when they don’t have to do anything?

Where was your first kiss?

What is your spouse’s favorite memory of you together?

What was your spouse’s first job?

What chore would your spouse like you to do more?

When did your spouse realize that they were in love with you? 

Game Night for Two

Picture Source: BYU

'[This next great date night at home is a game night for two. This is an easy to prep date night that is a lot of fun. First off gather the games in your house, or the store or even a thrift store. We find great games at our local thrift store for $3! Here is a list of fun two player games:

Uno

Picture Source: Gamasutra

Chess

Checkers

Battleship

Yahtzee

Clue

Risk

Life

Monopoly

Ticket to Ride

Trivial Pursuit

Twister

Backgammon

Connect 4

Poker

Scrabble

If you have a gamer in your home it may be fun to play some video games together, or incorporate at least one in your game night. Make some kind of scoresheet if you want to keep score, where the winner gets breakfast in bed, or some other fun prize. Then make this yummy skillet cookie for a treat. It is so simple! Get your favorite cookie dough from the store, put it into a seasoned cast iron skillet and bake for 15-20 min at 375. Top with ice cream or whipped cream if desired. Have fun eating your yummy treat and beating each other at different board games.

Picture Source: stayinnight

Relationship Tip: Even though you are at home choose to not let your home interfere. This is your special time, put the kids to bed or find some way to not be distracted by anyone during your date time. 

Spa Night at Home

Picture from youtube.com

 Take a break from your hectic schedules together with this spa date night. Relaxation and rejuvenation requires only a little bit of prep with some relaxing tunes, a few recipes and some candles.

Start off by gathering the refreshments. One nice thing to make is infused water. Simply get a water pitcher and fill it with sliced cucumbers. You can add grapefruit, lemon or any other fruits. Let it sit for a few hours and you have a nice refreshing pitcher of water. Get some dark chocolate and make up a little veggie and fruit tray. Light healthy snacks are a fun treat that go well with this date.

Next we want to create an ambiance. Try to find all the candles in your house and place them in your bathroom or kitchen, wherever you want to have your spa night. I like to put little tea lights in mason jars. The candles create soft lighting, or put up twinkle lights if you don’t like to use candles.  Clean your bathroom and put out some fresh towels.

Finally we will make our spa treatments. Make simple scrub using honey and brown sugar. Mix 2 cups brown sugar, ½ cup olive oil and ¼ cup honey together in a small bowl or Mason jar. Apply this scrub to lips, hands, elbows or even feet. Get some Epsom salt to add to a foot bath. Have some soap ready for a bubble bath, if you choose. 

Find a relaxing internet radio channel or create a playlist. Search for key words like meditation, yoga etc. to find calm, relaxing, spa like music. Begin the date by playing your music and give each other foot massages. Fill up a bathtub or a foot bath with warm water and Epsom salt. Soak your feet while enjoying the refreshments. Take a nice sip of that infused water. Talk about your day and relax and unwind together. Use the brown sugar scrub on your hands and or your feet. Be sure to apply lotion afterwards.

Relationship Tip: Take time regularly to relax and rejuvenate together. Talk about what each of you finds relaxing, and make plans to incorporate them into your schedule. 

Fondue Night

Picture Source: The London Standard

Today's at home date ideas is a fondue night. This is a relatively easy and fun date night idea, with minimal preparation. Below is a recipe for yummy cheese fondue.

Cheese Fondue

2 cups lightly packed shredded Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups lightly packed shredded Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup low-sodium, good-quality chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely minced or pressed garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Dash of paprika

DIRECTIONS

Place both the shredded Gruyere and Swiss cheeses in a gallon-size resealable bag with the cornstarch and shake until evenly coated.

Once the cheese is melted and begins to just barely simmer, add the remaining spices and move it immediately to the table on the fondue stand with the sterno flame below. It should be the consiste

In a stove top-safe fondue pot (or in a regular saucepan or electric fondue pot), add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and garlic and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cheese, a small handful at a time, stirring constantly, but not briskly. It works best to use a wooden spoon and and stir in an S-shaped motion, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so it doesn't burn.ncy of warm honey. Add more or less cheese for perfect consistency and additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen

Serve this cheese fondue with veggies like broccoli, potatoes, crackers, bread etc. For the Chocolate Fondue simply pick up some chocolate melts and melt them in the microwave or your fondue pot. Dip ideas include strawberries, bananas, angel food cake, wafers and other cookies and fruit. Create an ambiance by finding a romantic playlist on an internet radio site. Light some candles if you choose. For an activity to do look over the questions listed below. Print them up, cut them apart and put them in a bowl. Ask each other questions, or even make up your own. Using conversation starters can help provide something new and exciting to your regular routine.

What is your favorite memory of us?

When was the last time I made you laugh?

What is your favorite outfit that I wear?

Is there something that you wish we did for a date night?

What is your favorite thing to do together?

What is your favorite thing to do, when you have nothing to do?

Where is one place you would like to visit?

Where do you believe we go after we die?

What makes you feel loved?

How can we create a better marriage?

How would you spend a million dollars if you were given it?

What is something that is worrying you?

What are your plans for the next 5 years, the next 10?

What has been your favorite date night?

What is something I do that makes you feel loved?

Relationship Tip: Take time to have conversation about your marriage, and about your life. Don’t get so caught up in talking about kids or work that you don’t take time to have meaningful conversations that will help your relationship to grow. 

Romantic Indoor Picnic for Two

Having a romantic date does not mean that we have to pay for a sitter, and have an expensive dinner at a 5 star restaurant. At home dates can be just as romantic. With a little bit of preparation you can have a romantic date after you put the kids to bed.

Decorate your living room, spare room, or wherever you have enough space for a picnic. You can decorate with twinkle lights, candles, blankets and pillows. Anything you think can help make the space more romantic. Add some flowers if you choose.

 Put together a cheese plate. Use a wooden cutting board to arrange your picnic food. To do this you need to some meat like prosciutto, summer sausage or even pepperoni. Then add the cheese you can add Brie, Gouda, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese or even Cheddar. Add some fruit as well like grapes, strawberries, pears, dried cranberries and dried apricots. Next get some fancy bread and crackers. French bread works great. If you want you can add some jelly to your plate too.

A romantic evening is not complete without some kind of beverage. We love sparkling cider and juices. You can put the bottle in some ice so it will stay cold during your picnic. Get some long stemmed glasses out to make the night really special.

Having a fun activity can help stimulate conversation and bonding together. This activity is a new twist on a love letter. Get an old book from your collection or a thrift store, and a permanent marker. Pick a page and make a love letter in the book by crossing out the words you don’t want to use. You can then rip the page out and keep it or you can keep them all in the book.. If you want a romantic movie is also a great addition to this date. 

Disney Date

Who doesn't like watching a Disney classic? Set up a blanket outside in the backyard  and bring an extension cord and TV out with you. Watch some of your favorite Disney movies while cuddling in a blanket and enjoying a nice bowl of popcorn. Take turns choosing movies, and find out why your spouse likes/dislikes certain movies.

Take Inventory

This date is for all the hard working mother and fathers who need a fun night to reconnect with their love. After the kids go to sleep, your fun begins!

Assuming that you have already had dinner, prepare a fruit plate or a dessert that you both enjoy. Sit somewhere where you both can get comfortable and cozy together. This could be in the sofa, or out on the patio. Now talk and catch up with each other. Life is crazy, and it some of the simple things get taken for granted.

Think back to the tune before you had kids. The focus was solely on the two of you. Forget the day to day normal talk, don’t talk about finances, or the list of to-dos. Focus on taking inventory on the both of you, talk about dreams and ambitions. Are there things that you have always wanted to, but haven't done yet? Let your spouse know! Everyday new things come up and you don’t want to forget about each other. Have fun with one another!

Body Paints

Sometimes as parents we can't always go out on a date, but that should not stop you from dating your spouse! There are lots of things you can do at home after the kids go to bed to put a spark in your relationship! Throughout the blog we will suggest fun things for you to do at home! 

As a kid I loved to paint, but what I loved more was the feel of it... Please tell me I'm not the only one! So when we couldn't find a babysitter on Saturday night I decided that it was a great opportunity to paint, but not on canvases, but our bodies. I mixed up some paint, the recipe is below and we tested it out. What a fun date with my spouse!

 The recipe is simple:

2 tsp. Cornstarch

1 tsp. lotion

1 tsp. water

Food Coloring

* This recipe is good for 1 body paint color.

The paint is totally safe to go on your skin and washes off! Be creative! Make a game of it and most importantly have fun with it!

Relationship Tip!

Sometimes it is important to just have fun and see where it takes you! This is one of those times! Make body paint and discover where your relationship goes with a little bit of paint!

Movie Night

Do you ever have those days where you just feel like staying home and wearing your comfy sweats? Well, this date is right up your alley! Sometimes staying “in” on a date night is just what you need and the bonus is you don't have to pay a babysitter if you have kids! You can dress comfortably and snuggle on the couch. Step it up a notch by turning your living room into a movie theater. Make some popcorn. Grab some of your favorite candy from the grocery store and pick up the hottest new Release! 

Relationship Tip! Snuggling with your spouse is just fun. It allows you to unwind and steal a kiss here or there. 

Karaoke Night In

Sometimes as parents we can't always go out on a date, but that should not stop you from dating your spouse! There are lots of things you can do at home after the kids go to bed to put a spark in your relationship! Throughout the blog we will suggest fun things for you to do at home! 

 I love to sing, but I am terrible at it! I mean almost to the point of shattering windows! I would never want to sing up on stage by myself, but because my husband loves me and is stuck with me :) I thought what a fun night we could have singing karaoke and dancing at home! Youtube.com has a lot of great karaoke tracks for you to choose from! Let loose have fun and take pictures!

To make it an even better night in, order pizza for a local pizza joint and have them deliver!

Relationship Tip! Having fun together and laughing is the best medicine and it strengthen relationships. Even when life gets challenging take the time to let loose and do something fun with one another!

S'more Fun!

 As the weather is cooling off we were feeling adventures and decided to build a fire pit in the backyard. We have been out there a time or two with the kids and they have loved to roast smores. That gave me a great idea for our next at home date. We decided to have "smore" fun with one another in the backyard. We went out there started the fire and roasted our marshmallows for a tasty treat! We sat by the fire snuggled and just talked. It was such a nice relaxing night! So grab the graham crackers, the chocolate, and the marshmallows and head outside on your next stay at home date!
If you are feeling adventurous substitute your chocolate bar for other tasty treats like Cookies and creme bars, peanut butter cups, or kit kits to name a few. Trust me! You won't be disappointed!


Relationship Tip!

While making smores, talk about each other's day and really listen to one another.  One way to connect is to be present and know about what's going on in the life of your spouse.  So, go ahead and show "smore" interest.

Ultimate Stay at Home Date Night Ideas

As long as you are intentional about it, then you can get all the same benefits associated with dating without ever leaving your home.

Here are some stay at home date ideas.  Please add additional ideas in the comments section

Go on an appreciation dinner date. Before you take each bite of food or each sip from your drink, tell your spouse something you appreciate about him or her or something you appreciate that he or she has done recently or in the past. Go on a virtual tour of museums online. Click on the name of each museum to start your tour Louvre, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Art Make decorations for upcoming holidays. Make your favorite desserts. Chose a music CD and pretend you are going to a concert. You can buy An Evening with John Denver from Amazon.com by clicking here Adding a romantic twist to the board game Twister can be a lot of fun to play in the privacy of your own home. Make a music video. Recreate scenes from your favorite movies. Read a thought provoking book like Tuesday's with Morrie together. You can buy it from Amazon.com by clicking here Draw portraits of each other with crayons. Make a video documentary of your home. Sign up for a free long distance learning class together at the Barnes and Noble online university. Pick a room in your house and describe your favorite memories that have occurred in that room. Teach your spouse about your favorite hobby. Work on a scrapbook project together. Play board games and throw in creative rules to spice them up and make them romantic. Do some family history research together. A good place to start is Ancestry.com Play video or computer games together. Finger-paint a masterpiece on your spouses stomach with pudding and whip cream. Make a video documentary about your spouse. Write a children's story together and illustrate it. Plant an indoor herb garden. Play board games together. Settlers of Qatan is a fun strategy board game you can buy from Amazon.com by clicking here. Watch old home videos. Come up with romantic variations of your favorite card games. Write thank you letters to the parents of your spouse. Play indoor tag. When you catch each other think of something fun you can do like kiss for 30 seconds, etc. Play miniature golf with common household items. Decorate your home for an upcoming holiday. Read scriptures together. Make a fort together and think of creative romantic things you can do in the fort when you are finished. Watch a concert on video or DVD. You can buy James Taylor Live at the Beacon Theater from Amazon.com by clicking here Order a meal from your favorite restaurant to be delivered and have a candlelight dinner somewhere in your house where you wouldn't normally eat. Refinish a piece of furniture together. You can buy a book from Amazon.com that will teach you how by clicking here If you are pregnant read each week from a book about your baby's growth. You can buy The Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year from Amazon.com by clicking here. Make cookies for your neighbors. Run through the sprinklers. Create a new kind of cookie. Have a shower or bathtub date together. Pretend you are a fashion photographer and do a photo shoot of your spouse. Create a different ending to a tv show or movie that you just watched. Brush your wife's hair and learn how to do different braids in her hair. Choose one room in your house and do a clean sweep by organizing it. Visit the Clean Sweep TV website for some helpful hints by clicking here Interview your spouse and write a biography about him or her. Play hide and go seek. Think of romantic rewards that you can give to your spouse when he or she finds you. Buy a ceramic item at a crafts store and paint it together at home. Do a service project for your neighbor. Go on a massage date. Take photos of common objects in your house and make a collage. Redecorate a room together. Create a family website together. Create a virtual garage sale by choosing items in your home you no longer need and putting them on eBay. Watch a sunset together. Go on a scavenger hunt in your own home. Make hot chocolate and watch the rain or snow together. Call friends and relatives and interview them together about their lives. Have a romantic pillow fight. Play a game of indoor basketball horse but use a small ball instead of the regular size one. Come up with creative and romantic things you can do each time you miss a shot and get a letter. Create a collage of pictures of the two of you. Find an online service project you can do together. Make a blanket or quilt together. Write a letter to the editor together. Make a big ice-cream sundae and eat it together. Feed each other a meal. Create a water slip and slide with a long piece of plastic. Give each other foot massages. Make an evacuation plan, practice it and put together a 72 hour kit. Visit the Red Cross website for more details. Paint each others toe nails. Research where your ancestors came from and make a common meal from that country. Play a game from that country. Write thank you notes to your kids. Make a romantic post it note treasure hunt. Earthquake proof your house. The Institute for Business & Home Safety has prepared a list on how to earthquake proof your home. Click here to visit their webpage. Brainstorm creative dates you could go on with out leaving your bed. Create original milk shake or smoothie flavors. Make a lot of paper airplanes and have a paper airplane war. Divide a room in two and see who can fly the most airplanes onto the other person's side in a 1 minute time period. Think of a romantic reward for whoever wins. Have a water fight. Spend some time together brainstorming a simpler way for the government to collect taxes. A good place to start for some ideas is the fair tax website. Play TV bingo or guess the commercial game. Draw a bingo board and write the names of various products on it. The first one to get bingo wins. The commercial game is played by seeing who can guess first the name of the product being advertised. Pretend you had Bill Gates problem of having Billions of dollars you needed to give away. Do some research on the Internet to decide which organizations you would give the money to. Write down a list of family history questions and send them to your oldest living relatives. Plan your dream vacation together. Create a daily exercise plan and do it together. Go on a dinner cooking date by cooking dinners for the next week and then freezing them. Work on a scrapbook of dating memories together. Buy potted flower pots and deliver them to older neighbors. Decide on a political issue to write your elected representatives about and do it. Bake your favorite cookies and give them to your neighbors. Go to the White House website and rewrite the budget together. Go on a meditation date. Put on some relaxing music and slip into a deep meditative state. Wash your car together. Plan a weekend getaway together. Then plan your dream weekend getaway. Have a water balloon fight. Bingo night Group Date:  Cereal night, every couple brings a box of their favorite cereal. Poetry night- each come up with a poem, and have a poetry read (this would also be a fun group date). Have a Puppet show Upside Down puppet show- This is when you lay upside down on the couch and cover your eyes and nose with a cloth.  You then put eyes on your chin.  -Have a game night playing some of your childhood favorite games! Take time to talk about certain memories you have from your childhood. We are all bound together from our families. This will help foster more mutual understanding between one another and it teaches us more about our families of origin; why we are the way we are. -Go for a run together, then make homemade smoothies. Physical exercise helps the endorphins in our bodies to refuel, just like a marriage needs refueling. Make goals together to make more time for exercise, and list objectives on how you’ll achieve them. -Have a picnic in your family room, top it off with candles and your love song playing in the background. Make sure to say 3 important things you love about your one true love during dinner. -Go to a library and pick out books which describe that person’s character traits or personality, then talk about it with one another. Then you trade books and read them. -Create a scavenger hunt of different things you love about your spouse. You can even do the scavenger hunt at home. Make it a time to be romantic and don’t forget to communicate feelings! -Make a video that you would want your children to see one day on the legacy you lived. Share certain morals you’ve both learned being married and raising a family. If you were to pass on anything important what would that be? -Cook childhood recipes together. Each think about a certain recipe you remember your mother/grandmother cooking that you especially loved when you were a child. Have fun cooking together and really spending quality time reminiscing about the “good old days!” -Date drama: Search for a t.v. show script and act out a scene, guess which show it is from. Take time to ask each other 3 questions, they can be anything. The thing is to talk to the other! -Be superstars in your family room: choose a favorite song and look up the lyrics online, spend an evening at home by learning to sing the song together, but aim for playfulness not perfection! Ask your spouse why they picked that song. You can pick a song that describes why you love them. -Forget your age! Date from a different generation older or younger. Eat ice cream cones and rollerblade, or eat applesauce, play bingo and watch a black & white film. Depending on which generation you pick, talk about your past family history and learn about what they did on date nights. -Create a happy 100 list- to stay positive in your marriage ask your spouse to write a personal happy 100 list of things that inspire their happiness. Make sure to take note when reading the other’s on ways to rekindle that joy which started it all! Keep the list and reference it often. -Surprise date adventures- each spouse takes a turn to surprise the other on what that evenings date night will be, don’t spill the beans but it must involve a memory that you’ve shared together and it needs to be free! Spontaneity refuels that flame and helps couples grow closer. -Have an at home spa filled with massages, facials, etc., anything that can keep you relaxed. Intimacy is so important within a marriage, when time gets in the way that is when different problems occur. Make sure you reconnect on an emotional or physical level. -Tour open houses in the Houston TX area and find your dream home together, but the catch is you each have to agree on one! Then make a list of what needs to be included in your dream home. Why are those specifications important? Talk and figure out something new that you didn’t know before. -Photo memoir: each spouse finds a set of pictures from their life together (dating, wedding, new baby, fun adventure, etc.)  then take turns showing the photos and remembering those memories by sharing them together. Each needs to pick one that was important to them in one way or another. Pop some popcorn and make into a fun evening! -Take pictures like a tourist would in your local area. Spouses should play as if they don’t know each other. Husband should pick up his wife at a hotel or restaurant, act like you don’t know one another and let your imaginations run wild! Pretending to “re-meet” for the first helps couples remember why they picked them in the first place. Being playful reignites the flame of love. -Go on a walk in the park, bring a camera and each take turns taking pictures of something that is beautiful to them or brings back a specific memory that the couple shared. Then later on share why you found those things beautiful and relive the memories. Couples need to remember those moments that brought them closer together, make it a meaningful night. -Spend an evening creating a bucket list of various things you want to do before you die! But five things need to incorporate why you love the other person and how you want to cherish the years to come. -Take time getting to know the other’s love language, take the love languages quiz. Once each spouse knows their love language, figure out what your spouse's love language is. Spend the next week doing things tailored to their love language. See if your love grows over that week! -Set up a photo booth in your family room- dress up in silly ways and take photos. Search for your inner childhood side again, we can’t be grown ups all of the time! Then collage all the photos. Hang them up somewhere where they can be seen to remember the happy times you have together! -Instead of eating dinner, make a dessert only dinner. But you have to cook together! If you haven’t had much time together in a while, take this time to reconnect and grow closer. After dinner write a letter to your spouse or create something that shows why you love them, then share them together. -Have an egg dinner. It’s a great way to reconnect, after all, breaking bread is a means of sharing and often sparks good open communication between individuals. If you light candles and set the right mood, it can also become a romantic evening! Reconnecting emotionally:                                Married ouples have to make sure that they are taking the necessary time to ask questions to each other that way they can develop more closeness and reconnect on an emotional level before engaging and entering into physical intimacy. Males have a harder time with opening up emotionally and sharing those feelings. It is much harder for them to show and even express their emotions because they think that they will become less of a man, and "only women have feelings," is often a common misconception that most men have. In order for men to be able to open up all the way to their spouse they have to be doing something that interests them. A mutual understanding from sharing in an activity together will help a couple to re-find that spark again, since they are each tailoring to the needs of their partner; get physical bit by bit. Ways that men can connect: -Start off with having the male partner pick something that is appealing to them, and then the trade off would be the female partner gets to pick for her too. By having him go first it lets him feel like he is free to pick whatever it is that intrigues him (like any of the 5 senses). -Use the five love languages to explore a little deeper the emotional connection of their love. Here is a link to take the quiz: http://www.5lovelanguages.com Each couple will take a turn to answer the series of questions, but if you want an even deeper way to do this, it would be like this: If the wife is going first the husband will read off the questions to her, and vice versa. This way they will be communicating and interacting more emotionally, along with seeing the other's expressions throughout. That can help you to determine how they are feeling.  Once the love language is determined spend time digging deeper to find that love connection. This can be through physical touch and it doesn't always have to be intimacy (kissing, cuddling on the bed or couch while talking, holding hands while laying down, and stroking the others body are a few examples) So, if physical touch is one love language, then the husband or wife would have to figure out a way to be “physical” with the other. If you do not hold hands enough, take some time to work on this component of your love. The person who has this for their love language would appreciate having their hand held because it shows you love them. This emotional connection can help a man to feel more willing to engage in emotional intimacy. For women this can be done by the husband taking some time to talk with his wife and opening up to her through understanding how she is feeling, how her day actually went, what is she feeling, or what’s on her mind. This will allow her to feel that connection she needs in order to be physically intimate with her spouse. Home Versions for building an emotional connection: 1.) There is a path of rose petals in a very dimly lit level of a house that leads to a series of questions, once they reach them there they would need to have answered all of the questions in order to proceed. Then more rose petals would lead to the next section of questions (this should be ending in the bedroom or anywhere else you would like to end up). These questions can consist of articles of clothing to remove, something physical to do to the other, or something like giving a massage or spooning together. 2.) A couple can take a bath together. Before they take a bath they will take some time to look into each other’s eyes and then they will close their eyes while they help take off the other’s clothes in order to take a bath. Couples have to make sure that when they are engaging they can whisper one thing they love about them in their ear while taking their clothes off. Couples should take some time to ask the other how it feels taking the time and energy that was set aside to appreciate the meaning of their relationship. A question to ask: How can you each be more frequent with the love you share? 3.) Give one another a massage. This would be one way to create a spa right from the comfort of your own home. Start with playing relaxation music in the background that can help of you to relax and become centered with yourselves. The atmosphere needs to be romantic, and you can use things in your home to make this night unforgettable. (Note: this version would be good for a spouse to plan for the other a surprise to make it more spontaneous.) Make this meaningful by figuring out what it is you know that gets your spouse attracted. Tailor to their pleasure comfort level and indulge in the romance that you both share. A question to ask: What helps you to relax and unwind? What gifts of love can you give to each other? (think deeply) 4.) Have a romantic dessert in bed. Think back to a time when you felt really close and connected with your partner, a time when you felt emotionally intimate with him or her. Think about a time when you felt light and playful with your partner, or a time when laughter flowed easily. Maybe it’s even a time where you felt you could tell your partner your deepest secret and it would be accepted. Now, take some time to ask the other how they could maintain that wonderful intimacy together throughout the years to come. Then each share a moment where they remember the relationship being the sweetest (it can be from when you first met, started dating, or during early marriage, etc.) Is there anything that you both find sweet? 5.) Set up a blanket in front of the fireplace and have sometime laying together and creating a warmth between the two of you. You could even make it a heated blanket that way you have some added warmth. The idea is truly connect through the busy schedules and lives, and have a period of time where it is just the two of you, reconnecting. Enjoy romantic music and take some pictures together. Talk about your dreams and spend time creating some goals that can foster more excitement and less boredom. Accomplish these by making them objective enough in order to reach the end result together, not separate.