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Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

A Month's Worth of Free or Cheap Dates for You & Your Spouse

Trevor and I try to keep things fresh. You know, we try not to get in the habit of throwing on sweats as soon as we get home and plopping down in front of the TV barely noticing each other for the remainder of the evening.

Of course, there are nights that that happens. Usually after a particularly rough day at work for me or a long day of hard intellectual hurdles for Trevor.  But nights like that are few and far between because we make a point of mixing things up!

I know we can't be the only couple who has struggled to find ideas for new and exciting date night activities so we've compiled a list for you {30 ideas to exact - one for every day of the month}... and even better, most of them are low-cost or NO-cost!


1.) Create playlists for each other {don't let your spouse see what you're putting on it!} and take turns playing your chosen songs for both of you to listen to. Share a bottle of wine, and you're good! Don't forget to turn the lights down and enjoy a slow dance.

2) Similar to the idea above, make a playlist that is the soundtrack of your life together. Include songs from your past {when you first met & your first dance song} and any songs that represent your future {for us it would be songs that represent our future family and growing old together}. Share your hopes and dreams for the coming years!

3) Break out a deck of cards and play Go-Fish, poker, or any other game. Spice things up with a gamble of kisses or even items of clothing. Strip poker, anyone?

4) Go on a scavenger hunt. Google and Pinterest are full of lists for you to print off. Otherwise, make your own and enjoy!

5) Choose a recipe you've never made before out of a cookbook you own or from the internet. Try something you wouldn't otherwise pick! Go grocery shopping for the ingredients together, then come home, roll up your sleeves and get to work!

6) Go to a thrift store or a dollar store with $5 each. You have 10 minutes to pick out the best gift or outfit for the other person within your budget. Get creative!

7) Cloud watch.

8) Test drive cars. Even better? Test drive your dream car!

9) Pack a picnic basket and head outside to stargaze after dark. Bring a flashlight, a star chart and try to find as many constellations as you can!

10) Create a small buffet of desserts. Take turns blindfolding and feeding each other. No peeking!

11) Attend local open houses and start a "dream home" list based on what you see.

12) Even if you aren't looking for a new pet, visit an animal shelter. Your heart will melt when you see your spouse fawn over cute puppies.

13) Volunteer together. 

14) Get outside and go on a hike together! Bring a few snacks and stop halfway for an impromptu picnic.

15) Have a snowball fight! The winner gets to pick his/her reward: 100 kisses or a foot rub.

16) Check out two copies of the same book from the library. Read each chapter together and discuss - it's a book club for two!

17) Did you know the Dollar Tree has puzzles? You'll love a low-key night at home with your favorite TV show and a new puzzle. It'll only set you back a buck!

18) Work out together. Maybe you'll go on a run, maybe you'll do an at-home video, or maybe you'll lift some weights at the gym. Any way you choose, get those post-workout endorphins flowing!

19) Be tourists in your town or state. Don't forget your camera!

20) Get all dolled up {heels, tie, your good underwear!} and go out for ice cream.

21) Teach each other something. Maybe you're good at soccer and he's good at video games. You each get an hour to teach the other all of your tips and tricks.

22) Climb the tallest tree you can find! Teamwork, baby, teamwork!

23) Have a dance party! Remember the dorm life when your whole floor would break into song and dance instead of studying? Oh, that was only me? Get your dance on and - BONUS for a dance party with your spouse: a little dirty dancing never hurt!

24) Make wishes together and throw pennies in fountains. 

25) Go to your local bookstore and pick out books for each other. First round, pick a book the other would love. Meet up and share your finds. Second round, pick a book about something you think the other would like to learn about. Meet up and share your finds. Third round, pick a book about something you like to do together. Meet up and share!

26) Just take an evening walk together and tell each other about your day. 

27) Ask each other these questions. When it's your turn to talk, talk. When it's your turn to listen, listen.

28) Search for local festivals. Usually you can find free music, cheap food, and lots of fun!

29) Check out your nearest zoo or aquarium. 

And, if all else fails

30) Stay in, light candles, get naked, and cuddle up in bed. 

Now - get out there and get your date on!

What's your idea of a night with your spouse?

Holiday Mixed 'Tape' Swap Reveal!


I'm a sucker for a good swap. 
I may be a bit selective and participate in them only once in awhile, but I'm still a sucker for great swaps!

This was one of the 'greats'. And even so much more because I was a co-host of it! Meghan, Meagan, and I were honored and excited to bring the Holiday Mixed 'Tape' Swap to a blog near you {seriously, check out some of the links below - I bet you know some of the lovely ladies that participated!} :)


Because of a partner issue, I started the swap with one partner but after the snafu, I gained another blog friend and sent out an additional CD!

The first was Rikki from A Woman, Her Cats, and Some Books. Little did I know, she is a fellow Wisconsin native and was in the midst of moving from Kentucky back home to the Dairy State!
Get to know her better by checking out this post. Why should you? Because HELLO, we've all felt that way before! When I read her post, I was "AMEN, SISTA!"-ing out loud, in my living room, while home alone. Yes, it's like that.

Anyway, her parents live less than an hour from me and I can't wait to find a time in our busy schedules to meet up!

Rikki sent me a great CD, full of classic Christmas music! Here's what she chose for me:

1) Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
2) Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
3) Merry Christmas, Darling - The Carpenters
4) Emmanuel, God With Us - Point of Grace
5) Don't Save It All For Christmas Day - Clay Aiken
6) Do You Hear What I Hear? - Destiny's Child
7) Baby Please Come Home - Hanson
8) I Wonder As I Wander - Linda Ronstadt
9) In Love On Christmas - N*SYNC
10) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Jewel
11) All I Want For Christmas Is You - Olivia Olson
12) When Love Came Down - Point of Grace
13) The Christmas Song - Clay Aiken
14) Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

Thank you, Rikki, for the great variety of music you sent my way and for being wonderful enough to move home just in time for us to meet up ;)

Holly from Perfectly Imperfect Holly was my original swap partner and we immediately hit it off. When she told me the type of music she likes and that her favorite Christmas song is 'O Holy Night', I may have freaked out a little {and we have the email to prove it!}. Why'd I go crazy? Because we're basically music soul mates! I love 'O Holy Night' and her favorite types of music are my favorite types of music. Check out her fitness blog {details here} and you don't want to miss this post introducing a fun link up all about the holidays!

Holly sent me a fun mix of music:

1) Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) - Chris Tomlin
2) Mistletoe and Holly - Frank Sinatra
3) I Celebrate the Day - Relient K
4) Snoopy vs. the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen {fun fact: not only is this Holly's favorite childhood song, my husband used to work for the same company as one of the original Royal Guardsmen}
5) White Christmas - Celtic Woman
6) O Holy Night - Trans Siberian Orchestra
7) Jingle Bells - Michael W. Smith
8) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Chris Tomlin
9) O Holy Night - Celtic Woman
10) What Christmas Means to Me - Stevie Wonder
11) O Holy Night - MercyMe
12) Carol of the Bells - David Foster
13) Silent Night (Emmanuel) - Matt mager
14) Angels We Have Heard on High - Chris Tomlin
15) When Christmas Comes to Town - The Polar Express
16) Christmas Eve in Sarajevo - Trans Siberian Orchestra
17) Joseph's Lullaby - MercyMe
18) Twelve Days of Christmas - Straight No Chaser
19) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Celtic Woman
20) Faith Noel - Trans Siberian Orchestra
21) Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
22) O Holy Night - Chris Tomlin

Thank you, Holly, for your good taste in music and the fact that I did not previously have any of the 'O Holy Night' versions you sent me - that in itself is a small miracle!

Quite the batch of songs, isn't it? They're all fantastic! I'm still sifting through them to find my favorites but so far both Rikki and Holly have hit home runs :) I love finding swap matches when I feel instantly connected to the other blogger - and I was beyond lucky to have found that in both of my partners!

If you participated in the Holiday Mixed 'Tape' Swap, don't forget to link up your recap post below!

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Head over to Holly and Rikki's blogs to find the list of songs I sent to them. Check out some of the links below for even more holiday music!


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