Today we’re talking about date night ideas for new parents once kids are in bed.
Hi, it’s me, Jackie from East Valley Moms, and this is my husband, Super Hot Husband Mitchel.
Super Hot Husband Mitchel and I have been married for 10 years. We got married and life was simple. We didn’t really need to go on dates because we spent all of our time together.
Fast forward a few years, we had two kids and our marriage wasn’t bad but it definitely wasn’t good. It just…was.
So, instead of waiting around for things to get easier or passive aggressively wondering why my husband never does anything romantic for me, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
From that point on, Super Hot Husband Mitchel and I agreed to have a date night once a week, at home, after the kids went to sleep and it is by far, the best thing we have ever done for our marriage.
Keep reading for exactly how we do this to keep it easy to execute weekly.
XO,
Jackie
The Logistics for Hot Date Night
-We Pick a recurring day of the week for our dates. We always do Thursday nights.
-One spouse picks the food (we always do takeout) and the other spouse plans an activity. Each week, the roles switch.
-The main objective is to HAVE FUN.
The rules of Hot Date Night
–Having fun is the top priority. If you’re not laughing, you’re not doing it right.
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Plan ahead: Hot Date Night isn’t something that you can figure out the day of. I usually choose the activity at least a week in advance in case I need to prep any supplies. I also have a running list in my phone of ideas. Inspiration is everywhere.
–Get creative: I don’t care if you don’t think you are creative. You are. Remember that creativity looks different for everyone. If my husband, the engineer, can do this, anyone can.
-Make it a secret: My husband and I generally keep the date a secret until the night of. Honestly, it’s just more fun. Plus, it’s harder to wimp out or make excuses if you don’t know what’s coming for you.
–Hot Date Night is sacred: we don’t mess around with HDN. Doing weekly dates is just like any habit: you have to work at it and fight for it. Have we had weeks where our lives are on fire and neither of us has the energy to even pretend to have fun? Every few months, yes. And on those nights, we still prioritize our marriage and snuggle up on our couch and watch a movie.
–Commit 100%
Best Gilbert Takeout Recommendations for Home Date Nights
After doing Hot Date Night for years, we have become pretty savvy at knowing which takeout in the East Valley hits and which ones miss. Here are our top recommendations.
Blue 32 Sports Grill: Fast, easy, delicious, bar food.
Gadzooks: Green Chile Pork Shoulder. Enough Said.
Rusty Taco: So many tacos, so little time.
Dog Haus: One of our absolute places for dine in or take out. The best hot dogs and beer around.
AZ Pho & Grill: Truly enough Pho to fill a bathtub. Absolutely life changing.
In our marriage, we have learned that if you don’t make time, there will never be time and that a little bit of intentional time together is much more impactful than a lot of unintentional time.
Hot Date Night is going to look different for everyone. Take our blueprint and make it work for you. But remember, you will only get out of it what you put into it.
Now get out there, have fun, and GO FALL IN LOVE!
More date night inspiration around Gilbert:
East Valley’s Best Tap Rooms for Date Night
Date Night on a Budget: 5 Gilbert Ideas that won’t break the bank
New Year, New Date Night Ideas in Gilbert, Queen Creek and Mesa
