It’s been a long time since we’ve been out on a proper date away from the house, but to be honest: I don’t [really] miss it.

I’m a homebody at heart, and while I love getting out to try new restaurants and dishes, we’re also not in the stage of life where we have complete freedom where the stress doesn’t outweigh the fun time out.  I admire those of you who can/do secure babysitters and enjoy a night on the town, but for those of you who are looking to have a night in with your significant other that is relatively stress free, and have some more intimate moments, here are my top tips:

1. Make it routine:by default, our date nights are Friday and we typically do them every week unless another commitment takes precedent. 
2. Plan your menu in advance:if you meal-plan, include your date night meal with your weekly planning. If you’re not a meal planner, plan to pick everything up at least 1 day in advance so you can dedicate your whole evening to creating memories and not running to the store. 
3. Decide on an activity:card game, board game, or movie—choose something that would be fun/different for you two to engage in together! Chances are you have a device that allows you to rent/stream movies for a few dollars, and if you’re anything like us: there’s always something new to see! If not, pull up your favorite, shared TV show and start over from season 1, and only watch new episodes on your date nights until it’s over (we love doing this too!)
4. Make a fun cocktail: this is something new we’ve done, and have thoroughly enjoyed trying a few new things and stepping away from a bottle of wine/beer.  
5. Give your man a job: be it grilling the meats, or making him bartender, let him get involved. Don’t expect him to plan the meal, shop for it, and/or whip it up (unless he’s the chef of the house, of course) but don’t also feel like you have to 100% serve him. You get to enjoy your date night too!
6. Start with a clean space: this one is always a challenge for me, but it makes a world of difference for me personally when it comes to actually enjoying the evening.
7. Keep the phones put away: you’re at home, and if you have kids chances are they are home with you. The only person you need to talk to is right there with you. Enjoy each other 🙂

If you need a few ideas to get your started, here are some of our favorites:

MEALS

• Burgers + homemade oven fries
• Tacos + homemade pico & guacamole
• Baked Salt + Vinegar Wings w/ veggies
• Grilled steak + roasted potatoes + blistered green beans

COCKTAILS

• The Best Margarita (aka: Clayton’s Margarita)
• Salted Caramel Crown Royal – on the rocks
• Moscow Mule

GAMES

• Yahtzee
• Uno
• Skipbo
• Scrabble 

MOVIES/SHOWS

• Sicario (1 & 2)
• Ozark
• Psych
• Monk