Home Made Date Night

When you have children, it is hard to make time to be a couple. Whether it's finding the right baby sitter or just finding the time, energy and motivation, it becomes a challenge to have a little romance in your life. When my husband and I find that we are having a lull in our alone time, I create for us a Home Made Date Night!

Love and Marriage Tidbit - You don't have to leave your house to have a relaxing and romantic date night. It just takes a little time, thought and effort. For starters, your date night needs to include things that you both enjoy and that you don't get to have all the time. Things that will get you excited.

First, Plan the kind of setting that you will both like and time it for when the children are snug asleep. Set up a close seating arrangement in a room that you don't normally eat in. This could be the formal dining room or even setting up a small table in the living room. Be Creative! Make sure you add table linens, candle light, fresh flowers and music. Keep the lights dim and make sure that you are dressed for the occasion. I know this may seem difficult with kids but you can do it on a night that your honey gets in late or have him do the night routine with your child and surprise him.

Second, create a menu that includes some of your favorite dishes. Start with an appetizer and a cocktail and relax on the couch (make sure if the couch is in a different room then you create the same mood with candles, flowers and music)

Next, move into the eating area and serve yourselves like you are at a restaurant with soup, salad, main course and dessert. To make it easy, splurge on some fancy plastic platinum trimmed dinner ware found at any wholesale or party store. This way you can just toss it after. Create a meal around some take out options or prepare the dinner ahead, so all you have to do is reheat it and there is little to clean up. Make the salads ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Have all the items to make your dessert ready on the counter.

Remember that the main objective of any romantic restaurant is to give you the ambiance that creates a feeling of comfort and relaxation with your loved one. With a little thought and effort, this same atmosphere can be easily created in the comfort of your own Home Made Date Night!