Angel and I like to date. And we don't only mean the free kind of dates, either. We're not the kind of people to go out and spend $40 on dinner and a movie, but we're also the type of people who would rather spend a little extra cash on some fun activities together than, say, small home appliances.
However, there are simply some activities he enjoys more than I do, and there are some activities I like a little better than he does. We participate in each other's preferred activities, but I also find it helpful to remember which activities are my husband's favorites, and which ones are the activities that Angel probably wouldn't do if it wasn't for me. For example, if I wanted to plan a fun evening for Angel, I probably wouldn't plan a night at our local swing dancing club. Instead, I might tell him to pick up take-out from Culvers (the man loves fast-food) and rent a movie from redbox.
Angel's not the most sentimental guy, and he doesn't like anything complicated or excessively labor-intensive. I've read plenty of date ideas online involving 'printables' and quests and multiple locations and thought, "I know for a fact that Angel would consider that 'date' as pure torture."
I don't think that this is the most romantic concept ever. I guess, ideally, each of you are equally excited about the activities you do together, and you have an easy time planning dates that you both think are fun. We're a little more on the practical side. There's no system, but I'd say that we roughly alternate dates catered to Angel's tastes and dates catered to my taste. Actually, I'm pretty sure that we lean rather heavily on Angel's side of the date spectrum, but that's largely because, as you'll read, my taste in dates tend to require a little more expenditure of both dollars and energy.
Our dates will probably look a bit different when we move--or, at least, the exact locations of our new favorite hangout spots will be different, but these are our regulars for now!
1. Playing Boggle
However, there are simply some activities he enjoys more than I do, and there are some activities I like a little better than he does. We participate in each other's preferred activities, but I also find it helpful to remember which activities are my husband's favorites, and which ones are the activities that Angel probably wouldn't do if it wasn't for me. For example, if I wanted to plan a fun evening for Angel, I probably wouldn't plan a night at our local swing dancing club. Instead, I might tell him to pick up take-out from Culvers (the man loves fast-food) and rent a movie from redbox.
Angel's not the most sentimental guy, and he doesn't like anything complicated or excessively labor-intensive. I've read plenty of date ideas online involving 'printables' and quests and multiple locations and thought, "I know for a fact that Angel would consider that 'date' as pure torture."
I don't think that this is the most romantic concept ever. I guess, ideally, each of you are equally excited about the activities you do together, and you have an easy time planning dates that you both think are fun. We're a little more on the practical side. There's no system, but I'd say that we roughly alternate dates catered to Angel's tastes and dates catered to my taste. Actually, I'm pretty sure that we lean rather heavily on Angel's side of the date spectrum, but that's largely because, as you'll read, my taste in dates tend to require a little more expenditure of both dollars and energy.
Our dates will probably look a bit different when we move--or, at least, the exact locations of our new favorite hangout spots will be different, but these are our regulars for now!
1. Playing Boggle
2. Action Movie at home
3. Arcade
4. Nap
5. Amusement Park
6. Steak Restaurant
7. Youtube videos
8. Xbox Kinect
9. Bonfire
10. Watch Jeopardy
11. Mini-golf
12. Indian restaurant
13. Dessert (i.e. homemade strawberry pies)
14. Kayaking
15. Playing Mancala
15. Playing Mancala
1. Botanical Gardens
2. Comedy Movie
3. Mall
4. Do Errands
5. Ride Bikes
6. Surprise!!
7. Museum
8. Downtown Art Festival
9. Bookstore
10. Go out for Breakfast
11. Vacation to somewhere new and exotic
12. Swing/Ballroom dancing
13. The Beach
14. The Cemetery
15. A Restaurant with an unique name/unusual theme (i.e. The Electric Cheetah, Hash House A Go Go....I am endlessly intrigued by eating at places with weird names...)
Is this just us, or do most of you do things together for fun that you probably wouldn't do if you were single?
p.s. I feel very awkward about putting words on photos. I almost never feel awkward, so that's probably a bad sign. So how about, laugh with me instead of at me as far as the words on photos thing goes, okay?
15. A Restaurant with an unique name/unusual theme (i.e. The Electric Cheetah, Hash House A Go Go....I am endlessly intrigued by eating at places with weird names...)
Is this just us, or do most of you do things together for fun that you probably wouldn't do if you were single?
p.s. I feel very awkward about putting words on photos. I almost never feel awkward, so that's probably a bad sign. So how about, laugh with me instead of at me as far as the words on photos thing goes, okay?
You guys are too cute! This was a fun post! Visiting from the Jack of All Trades Link up!
Fun ideas! We just had a Boggle date on our porch the other night. :)
oh, fun! Do Errands is a date? Huh?
My husband and I rotate these kinds of dates:
1) Walk around Target (don't buy ANYTHING. but look at stuff. and maybe buy a pretzel. We both think this is fun.)
2) Gym. (Husband likes machine, I like dance class. Sometimes I do his thing, because he thinks its really special when I am with him, and he never does my thing. We usually meet up for swimming afterwards through, so yeah)
3) Eating Out (once a week. We rotate who picks.)
4) Camping (husband's favorite. We only do this once a month in spring-fall)
5) I think my favorite date is being left alone. Is that sad? Or maybe shopping. Yeah, shopping. Husband hates shopping. Or perhaps snuggling. If my husband isn't hyper. Snuggling with a hyper husband is like trying to make a kid with ADHD sit still. Also, annoying. And ticklish.
It's not just you guys! I think that's part of being a couple, sometimes compromising and doing something you might not normally want to do, to make the other person happy (and vice versa, ideally). For Ian, he loves meat-focused restaurants (like BBQ and those Brazilian steakhouses) while I prefer a more balanced meal. And I like to occasionally go see a live performance like a play or the ballet, which is not his first choice (or second or fifth). We alternate, too. And have some overlap (like a comedy show, or Mexican food, or a night in with Netflix). The result is a nice variety of date nights. :)
We very rarely "date" in the traditional sense. I think that once you are married, everyday can seem like a date. We go places together all the time!
peppy and i have similar taste in music, although we both have a handful of bands that the other person can't stand. for our birthday we get to pick a concert to attend, and the other person cannot say one negative thing about it. just suck it up and enjoy it. hah. peppy has also been pretty good about attending broadway style shows with me, even though that's not his thing. and i'll tolerate sitting next to him while he watches endless hours of golf...although i'm either taking a nap or reading.
These are such great ideas! We are always trying to come up with new ideas- love yours! Glad I found your blog on the JOAT link up! :)
I love the idea of vacationing somewhere exotic! Sounds like the perfect date. :)
You guys are adorable! These are great ideas! I like dates that don't cost a lot of money either. Our little rituals have become dates for us. We have a favorite lunch spot, and then if it's a really fun day we'll stop by some antique malls. Swing dancing sounds like a blast!
J and I have totally different ideas of fun- he would rather have a night in while I prefer experiences. We give and take :)
Love it! You and I have many similar picks....unfortunately an art show makes my husband want to lay down on the sidewalk and die. I'll admit I probably do look too slowly. :) And yet, I can still get him to go from time to time, just like I'll watch an action movie with him now and then. :)
love the photos of you guys!! :) and these are such great date ideas - i may snag a few :)
I haven't really thought about it, but I guess we can probably categorize dates according to our preferences. His list would probably include going out to eat anywhere. And mine would probably be "any date that Daniel actually plans." Because, I love planning dates and doing fun things together, but I like it more when he makes the initiative - even if that only means he picks the restaurant.
The cemetery? You will definitely need to explain that one...
If you guys ever decide to take a combined date of kayaking + botanical garden, I'll gladly play third wheel! Haha. And how could someone pass up an opportunity to eat at a place named "The Electric Cheetah"? I'm so intrigued.
My husband and I tend to alternate who gets to pick the date night, too. I'm much more low key while he likes to do things bigger and generally make it a double date. Both are wonderful, but I think striking the balance is the best thing we've done for us. :)
Going out is not really a problem, though going to Michaels is probably not his favorite. We usually even the dates out. If we got to a craft store, we visit an electronic store after. I think staying home is more difficult. I love relaxing and watching a good movie, but he typically falls asleep or finds something else to do. I think everyone has to get used to doing what the other person likes more. :)
What a fantastic post through which I got to know you and Angel a bit more. I am 100% with you Rachel on dates with her for numbers: 1 thru 4 and 7 thru 10. =) BTW That up-close photo of you is stunning. Needs to be framed, pretty girl. =)
oh gosh, you're so right about the great distinction between 'his' and 'her' dates. girls tend to like romantic 'activities' whereas guys seem fine doing ordinary things side-by-side. or maybe that's just my experience? jon thinks it's a great day if we walk the dog and watch game of thrones and then share a pizza in bed. not my ideal date, but.. ya know.. we do it pretty often :)
Swing dancing is one of my favorites too...and us dancing together was one of the ways we got to know each other and realized we liked eachother ;)
This is a fun post! Do you keep score playing Jeopardy? We both love Jeopardy, and we keep score. One point for right answers, 0-5 points wagered on final jeopardy. I also love breakfast dates!
These are great ideas! We've been huge slackers on date night lately....or for the past few years :( But you have given me good ideas to start up again with
I think I'd rather take you out for a date rather than Angel, based off these lists. ;P hahaha
I like that one of Angel's dates is "nap". It really made me laugh. Also, is that really considered a date? Come on Angel. :)
I'd say my list would look very similar to yours. Recently, I've loved going out to breakfast and playing cribbage at our table. (We try to pick non-waitress places, so we don't feel like we're hogging the server's time.) Going to restaurants or playing games in general are always some of my favorite dates. I also love seeing movies in the theater, but we only do that a few times a year since it's so expensive!
Love your date ideas for each other! That's a really great idea, I think that we are definitely going to make a top 10 list of each of our personal favorite dates now!
He would love it for me to play a board game with him, or go camping. My ideal date usually involves something like just going for a walk somewhere outside, and I love walking around the botanical gardens in our city at night. One we haven't done yet is geode caching, which I think both of us would enjoy!
Isn't it great how different dates match one spouse's personality a little more closely than the other? When Tyler goes on dates that I know he doesn't enjoy as much as I do, I really feel loved that he still wants to do it with me. And the same for him, I know when I sit down to play a board game with him it is really special. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of our differences! :)
I feel like you could have written this post about Jordan and I. The lists are really similar! Jordan would totally rather play Boggle than go out on an actual date :) silly boys don't know what they're missing!
I do a TON of stuff with my husband that I wouldn't do by myself. He's my security blanket for traveling to new places.
Me and my boyfriend Kevin have a lot of similar interest, but he does like a few things I don't really like. Car shows, for example. He also really likes going to the movies, and I have a hard time sitting still for two hours haha! In fact, I don't think we've ever gone to the movies together since we've met last October. We have $50 in gift cards from his birthday/Christmas for the theatre so that's something I'm just going to have to do for him one day.
And I'm with you on the cemetery. I absolutely love going!
I'm curious...the cemetery? lol. do explain...
Ahaha I laughed out loud at "nap."
It's awesome that you both have different types of date nights that you each really enjoy. Several of the ones on your list, Rachel, would appear on mine as well (bookstore for the win!).
You're not alone (re: your fineprint), I feel notably weird about putting text on photos or other images myself, too (save for watermarking some of the photos myself I take and put online, but I don't feel that's the same thing at all), and am thoroughly relieved to know I'm not the only one.
♥ Jessica
SO CUTE! Love the ideas. I love how you said that the ideal "date" often looks different for you and him. :) It's very true for us as well. I have found that living abroad we haven't gone on as many dates because it seems like we are together ALL the time. It's important to remember to do those dates and take that time to do something extra special. Thanks for the reminder!
The cemetary? That's certainly an interesting spot...
I love how you see even little things like naps and errands as dating-activities... but it's all a matter of perspective!!
i like all of these. just getting out and about is a joy.
Post a Comment