|
Advice
Career Advice
Gardening Advice
Health Advice
Love Advice
Personal Finance Advice
Relationship Advice
YOU advice
Home
|
True Romance for Couples with Kids: 10
Inexpensive Ideas
by Susie Cortright
Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of perfume, but
it takes creativity, forethought, and time to be truly romantic.
The key lies in personalizing your celebration. Here are ten ideas to
fuel your own creativity:
1. Empty a box of chocolates. Then cut out 50 to 100 hearts from
lace doilies, construction paper, or fabric. On each cutout, record
something about him that you love. Be specific, "The way you smell
when you come to bed at night," "The way you take care of me when
I’m sick," "Your recipe for pancakes"...
Fold the cutouts, place them in the chocolate box, and top with a
red satin bow.
The time you spend coming up with these ideas will contribute to your
own romantic mood, and what he thinks is a plain box of chocolates will
be a gift he’ll keep close to his heart forever. And you can add to the
box on Valentine's Day, his birthday, your anniversary, and other
holidays throughout the year.
2. Build a romantic fire. Before the kids go to bed, have fun
roasting marshmallows. After their lights are out, host your own
indoor picnic, complete with a bottle of wine and chocolate-covered
strawberries.
3. Recreate your first date together. What were you wearing? Where
did you go? Do you remember what you talked about? Spend the evening
reminiscing and reflecting on how far you’ve come as a couple.
4. Spoon all night.
5. Choose a book in which you are both interested, fiction or
nonfiction. Read a new chapter each night before bed. This cozy
tradition will allow you to spend some quality time together and
often makes for thought-provoking breakfast conversations.
6. Make a tape of the songs special to your relationship. Include
"your song," songs from your wedding, songs from favorite movies.
Add a personal voice dedication and leave it in his briefcase,
Walkman, or car stereo.
7. Turn off the TV.
8. Kidnap your husband. Arrange for a babysitter for a few hour--or
a few days. A friend of mine had a lot of success with this one. She
knew her husband had always wanted to get married in Vegas, but he
had agreed to a large, formal ceremony hosted by her family. So,
after they had been married 10 years, she surprised him at work with
a packed suitcase. They caught an evening flight and renewed their
vows before an Elvis impersonator in a Vegas chapel. Years later,
they’re still talking about it.
9. This one requires a babysitter, too. Next time you’re visiting
your parents or in-laws, leave the kids with their grandparents and
travel to another town, where no one will recognize you. Check into
a hotel or B&B. Dress like another woman. Act like another woman.
It’s fun to slip into another persona from time to time.
10. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap candy kisses
inside, and hide them around the house. Each poem should be a clue
to finding the next one. Make sure the final clue lands your man
someplace you want to end up for the entire evening. A romance
package, including a bottle of champagne and new lingerie, is a nice
touch.
Create some romantic memories today. Now with your pocketbook, but
with your imagination.
Copyright 2004 Susie Cortright
Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of Rekindling Your Romance after
Kids and More Energy for Moms. She is also
the founder of the award-winning
Momscape.com, a website designed to help busy parents find
balance. Visit today and get Susie's *free* course-by-email "6
Days to Less Stress."
|
