Date Nights At Home

Eric and I cherish our date nights at home. We have gone on a total of 7 date nights out of the house in the past 5 years. 10 if include the births of the last three kids. 11 if you include the night we spent in the ER when I had my gallbladder out. Out of those 7 actual date nights, 6 of them have been in the past year.

Needless to say, we have become pretty adept at creating some fantastic date nights at home. Even if we could go out every week, I don't think we would. We just cherish the ease of staying home while still focusing on a special night for the two of us.

Our date nights are so special to us that we try to carry elements of them throughout our regular nights too. It's just one way to make each other feel special without spending any money.

Here are 13 little ways to have a mini-date night at home every night.

1. Save dessert for after the kids are in bed. Sit down together if even for only 10 minutes and enjoy.
2. Sit next to each other when watching tv instead of on opposite ends of the couch.
3. Before dinner, share an appetizer just for the 2 of you. Even if that appetizer is a handful of chips that you sneak in the kitchen while the kids are getting ready for dinner.
4. Use Hulu to catch up on shows that you have missed during busier nights. For Eric and I, we really don't watch tv. But we do love to watch 24. So we choose a night during the week when we both will be able to relax for an hour without other commitments getting in the way. Then we settle down in bed with the laptop and get caught up thanks to Hulu.
5. Schedule at least 10 minutes in the evening to do nothing but talk. Go over your day and the plans for the next day. Discuss current events. Pray together.
   
6. If the weather is nice, spend some time sitting outside together.
7. Get in bed early and talk or read together.
8. Develop a signature drink that you can share together on a regular basis. Even if your signature drink is coffee or tea, set aside special mugs that you use only for date night time.
9. If you spend your nights at the computer (like yours truly), set a designated time to shut it down for the night. Make sure that time leaves you at least a little while to spend with your husband before ending the day.
10. If your night time routine involves lots of chores, turn on some music that is special for the two of you and enjoy listening together while you work.
11. Work on a project or hobby together. But make sure it is something that you can save for times when you can both work on it together.
12. Spend some time just making each other laugh. Laughter brings you together and eases any hurts. It's a great way to reconnect.
13. If you still don't have time to fit in a little date night on an ordinary night, take a few minutes whenever you can to plan what you want to do on your actual date night at home.

Stop by Happy To Be At Home for more Thursday {Thirteen} and The Happy Housewife for more date night ideas.