My husband and I have always been pretty strict about the kids’ bedtime. It changes and shifts as we need it to – during the school year it’s 8pm with reading until 8:30 and then lights out. During the summer it’s 8:30 with a 9pm lights out. We’ve found this works best for us because we know the kids are getting enough sleep (and not sleeping until noon), and it guarantees that we get some time alone in the evenings to unwind and spend time together.

Most nights we just watch tv or a movie together, and we’re both grateful for the ability to pause the tv not just so we can skip commercials but because it’s usually at the weirdest moments we remember something we wanted to talk about or because whatever it is we’re watching has prompted a discussion.

Every now and then we’ll get in the mood to play the Wii which works out well because we get it all to ourselves! Other times we’ll be up for some Scrabble or Monopoly while watching a movie we’ve seen before (so we don’t have to concentrate on it too much – we like the background noise).

How do you and your SO find time to spend together?

Post from: Blisstree

Finding Quality Time

However, every once in awhile I really need to be out of my home, and going to Mickey D’s to eat a burger while watching the kids throw themselves down the slides doesn’t count. That’s why I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

One very lucky situation for us is that my in-laws live a few blocks away. Both kids love their grandparents, so it works out well that the odd time we do want to go out, we don’t have to deal with the hassle of a babysitter.

Tomorrow, although it’s Saturday, my husband unfortunately has to do a little job that he’s doing with a friend, a side job they do together. However, in the late afternoon, we’ll be packing the kids up and dropping them off with some books and toys and a ball at their grandparents’ house. We may even take their pajamas so that they can be changed and all ready for bed when we come pick them up.

Then, although they will likely eat some healthy supper cooked by my mother-in-law, we will skip healthy fare in lieu of total crap. For my husband I assume it will be popcorn and a large soft drink while I will get the nacho trio with salsa and cheese dip.

Once we have acquired food we will plunk ourselves down and I will try not to shriek with excitement as we sit and watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Yes, I’m 33 years old. Yes, I love Harry Potter. Tremendously. (These days I find myself stirring supper as it cooks while I simultaneously read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in anticipation of the release of the final book next week; also, I plan to do NOTHING all weekend but read the new book.)

The last time we had a date night was at least two months ago. The last time we saw a movie together was… Uhhh… Actually it was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The only reason I didn’t see the fourth installment was because I was in labor for four hours before giving birth.

Either way, we don’t get to the theater often enough and I can’t wait for tomorrow. Half of it, I admit, is to see how they handled the story in the film version, but half of it is also so I can sit in a dark theater and hold hands with the father of my children.

Even if that sounds cheesy.

Post from: Blisstree

Date night