Life, as of Late

Lord knows, with one kid, let alone three, quality time with your spouse can be a huge challenge. Between coordinating a sitter and simply finding the energy or motivation to get out of the house, date nights often seem impossible. And yet, if there were ever a time to pour into each other, and prioritize one-on-one time, it would be now. In the thick of it.

Now having had our third child and newest addition to the family earlier this year, I’ve decided to implement at-home date nights twice a month. As a homebody and introvert, I figured not only would a goal like this be far more achievable if done at home after the kids are asleep, but I’d also enjoy myself! My husband and I celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary this past May and although I genuinely feel that our connection has never been stronger, I know it’s still important to be intentional about continuously solidifying that bond through quality time.

You’d think that because these date nights are at home, that you’d be painfully limited in your options, but with a little creativity, there’s actually quite a lot you can do. When creating a list of possible ideas, I knew I wanted the date nights to include an activity neither of us had done before. I think this aspect is vital in strengthening your connection. We get so used to our routines, especially as parents, that we forget to try new things, especially with our partners! That led me to my idea for an at home paint and sip date night, accompanied with a homemade charcuterie board.

You’ve most likely seen paint and sip classes online, or maybe even in your area. It’s a great opportunity to sip a little wine and create a beautiful painting. I’m sure plenty of us drink at home occasionally, but adding an activity to this favored pastime is a great way to switch things up a bit. To keep costs low, I simply picked up a few canvasses from The Dollar Tree, along with some paint and paintbrushes. If you’d like to be more adventurous, you can purchase blank canvases (also sold at The Dollar Tree) and put a YouTube painting tutorial on your TV for you both to follow. These are a few of my favorites: Mountain Painting Tutorial, Ocean Sunset Tutorial.

To accompany our paint and sip night, we, of course, needed some adult beverages. I picked up a fun cocktail shaker, vodka, and cranberry and pineapple juice to make a fun Bay Breeze. It was a super simple and delicious drink and really set the tone for the evening. There are endless drink options out there and I love the idea of trying a different concoction for each date.

I decided to make a delicious sweet and savory charcuterie board for us to enjoy. This was very affordable and I was conveniently able to pick up everything from Target Curbside Pickup the same day. That was one of my favorite parts about this at home date night – it was simple, fun, and stress-free. I thoroughly enjoyed putting this together. To add to the fun, you and your partner can make the charcuterie board together, adding all of your favorites. These were my choices:

• Fruit: Strawberries & Grapes
• Boursin Cheese: Garlic & Fine Herbs
• Good & Gather Havarti Cheese
• Good & Gather Charcuterie Trio: Salami, Prosciutto, Capocollo
• Good & Gather Honey Goat Cheese
• Good & Gather Everything Flatbread Crackers
• Favorite Day Milk Chocolate Covered Peanuts
• Good & Gather Sea Salt Pita Crackers (Not Pictured)

After dinner that night, we bathed the kids and put them to bed. Then, we took showers, got dressed up, and prepared for our date! I put on makeup, did my hair, and even put a dress on. We ate, drank, and chatted for a bit before diving into painting while music played in the background to really set the ambience. It was a simple, yet fun night, and gave my husband and I the much needed opportunity to connect in a meaningful way.

Have you tried date nights at home? Tell me what’s been successful for you. I plan on making a series of at home date night ideas to share and I can’t wait.