How the heck do you balance it all?
And that’s just the stuff that HAS to get done. I’m not even talking about the stuff that we WANT to do. We women wear a lot of hats and balancing all of our roles is no joke. {Seriously though, can we just take a quick timeout for a virtual high five or pat on the back? I am seriously in awe of all of the amazing women around me and all that they are accomplishing—whether they realize it or not.} Anyway, even though this whole motherhood gig is still pretty new to me, I’m quickly realizing that organizing and simplifying are the name of the game! If I’m going to have time and energy left for dating my hubby and enjoying my family {and that IS the whole reason why I started The Dating Divas in the first place}, then I have to do some serious prioritizing. So since the beginning of this year, I’ve been on a mission to find secrets, systems, and “shortcuts” for all the not-so-fun, but necessary things in life in order to make time for the BEST and more IMPORTANT things! Because although I do a lot of important stuff day in and day out, including running this site, creating a healthy and happy marriage is by far the MOST important. The first thing we did to organize and simplify date night was to start our #GetYourDateOnChallenge (check it out!) So far, it’s been a huge success! We’re having so much fun and I love seeing all the dates and ideas that you guys are sharing. I have quickly realized that in order for Jamie and I to make date night happen we have got to have a plan! I’ve also realized that with my busy life, a fun out-of-the-box date will NOT happen unless it is prepped in advance (ya feel me?). So, I decided to get ahead in my date night planning and wanted to show you exactly how I am doing it! I’m hoping that by sharing this it will help a lot of you as well.
Pre-Planned Date Night Kits
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here. TIP: These envelope labels can be printed OVER and OVER again so feel free to use them year after year. They also make the BEST wedding gifts! Just print an entire year’s worth, fill them with fun date ideas from our site and you seriously have the BEST gift for a newlywed. A way for them to actually better their relationship and spend time with one another.
May’s Date: Discover a New Town Together
I wanted to choose a date that got Jamie and I a little out of our neighborhood bubble so I chose this Discover a New Town Together Date. It’s free and easy to print straight from our site! The date consists of jumping in the car and following the exploration tasks on the card provided. To prep, I printed and folded the tasks brochure. I also cut out the conversation starter cards so that we have some fun topics to discuss on our drive. These printables alone make a complete date but I wanted to throw in some fun extras. I decided to add in our favorite snack (nobody wants to be stuck in the car with a hangry spouse—ha!) and this fun banner. I threw all of these things in my envelope and marked the front to fit the contents that were inside. If you are looking for other ideas to throw in, think brochures for tickets to local attractions, a Bed and Breakfast Reservation, or a sticker or keychain of some sort that references your town or state, they’d all be perfect additions!
June’s Date: Outdoor Movie Night
One of Jamie’s favorite kind of dates is going to the movies (boy does my man love the movie theater!) but enjoying the movies outta the house has been hard with our little baby so I am planning on creating an outdoor movie experience in our backyard! To prep, I went ahead and printed out this FREE Double Feature Movie Date from our site. I also grabbed:
Kisstixx Chapstick (ya know, in case we make out!) These adorable popcorn bags! Glow Sticks (our backyard gets pretty dark at night!) Some boxed candy (like they sell at the theater) A few cards from this Movie Trivia Game (a little competition while we wait for it to get dark!) These constellation playing cards AND! These scalp massagers because while Jamie loves his head scratches, my fingers have about a two minute time limit!
I threw them all in my date night envelope and marked off the details on the front! If you are looking for some more ideas, I thought of these other fun items you could also include in your envelope:
Backyard Movie Printables Popcorn Bar Printables DVD (i.e. The Greatest Showman my favorite!) Microwave popcorn Hollywood Star Decals Popcorn Garland
July’s Date: Water Date Night
Here in Colorado, it gets PRETTY hot during July so I know that a water date is going to be a big hit with my hubby. If you know Jamie, you know he LOVES his sports so this date is involving three of his favorite things (ie. #1 me in a swimsuit ha!, #2 the sun, and #3 sports!). To get started, I printed out this FREE Water Balloon Basketball date from our site. The idea for this date is simple, you fill water balloons full of water and try to get them through the hoop! Like basketball minus the dribbling and a whole lot wetter! I am planning on Jamie and I going head-to-head with a prize in mind for the winner (maybe a 10-minute massage? We’ll see!). To my date night envelope, I added empty water balloons (these looked cool and easier to fill up!) and 2 pairs of fun sunglasses for Jamie and me to wear. I also ordered a little kid’s basketball hoop. It won’t fit in the envelope but I know it’s something our little Tasher will love to play with when he is a little older so I went ahead and bit the bullet! If you already have a hoop… win-win! You can also find simple cheap-o hoops at the dollar store! Here are a few more ideas to throw in your July envelope:
Splash Party Water Games Printables Target Vest Emoji Beach Balls Water Balloon Sling Shot Tickets to a Water Park Small Squire Guns Waterproof Phone Case for Pictures
August’s Date: Ice Cream Date Night
August is another hot month so I wanted my August date to involve a fun way to cool off. I decided on a date that would involve cold AND sugar. Can you guess where I am going with this? Ice cream! Jamie and I love our sweets and ice cream is one of our favorites. I first printed off these fun Ice Cream Date printables from the site. There is a cute invitation linked up on the post as well as some fun Truth or Dare question cards. I printed it all and cut it out! In my August date night envelope, I threw in these awesome color-changing spoons and these adorable ice cream napkins. I also grabbed some cute bags full of our favorite candies and ice cream toppings. As for table decor, I added these fun ice cream table toppers (they can fold up flat), this cute banner and the most perfect tablecloth (I can’t wait to use this over and over again for future parties!). If you’re looking for some more ideas, I came across these fun items in my search!
Gift card to Cold Stone Ice Cream Recipe Book Shake or Dare date Hanging ice cream cones (decor) Sprinkles
And that’s it, my summer dates are all pre-planned, pre-prepped and ready to go! Hopefully, now YOU have lots of ideas for some super fun and easy dates nights too. If you want to go the same route as me and make your own date night kits, I have the BEST news for you…
Our Date Night Kits are currently part of an amazing homemaking bundle!
Have you heard of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle?! I’m pretty positive that most of you have since everyone went crazy for it last year, but if you haven’t, it’s a bundle especially for wives and moms to help you organize your life and balance all the different roles you play. When they reached out to us to be a part of it, we knew that our Date Night Kits were the perfect contribution to help make date night easier. But when I saw everything else that was included, I seriously got so excited to dive in and personally try out the products that I thought would save me the most time and have the biggest impact. And guys—this bundle has been a game changer for me in so many different areas of my life. {From meal planning to working out to saving money.} You get access to an extensive library of homemaking resources but here are my TOP THREE favorites that I’ve tried so far and totally recommend…
#1 The Complete Grocery Budget Solution by Elise New (valued at $49.00)
This eCourse helped me transform the way I grocery shop and plan my menu. I saved serious $$ just in the first week! The videos are super short and the tips are easy to follow but make a big difference.
#2 Suzanne Bowen Fitness 3-Month Subscription by Suzanne Bowen valued at ($39.99)
I got into this because going to the gym is just NOT in the cards for me right now. I like this one because I can literally do my workout WITH my baby next to me. My favorite part is that it takes the guesswork out of figuring out what to even do for your workout routine. She has lots of plans to choose from OR you can customize your own plan to fit your own needs and equipment. I like how most workouts were around 30 minutes which is about all of the time I have to give right now.
#3 Freezer to Slow Cooker Meal Plan 3-Month Subscription by Sarah Robinson (valued at $29.99)
I am currently using an awesome meal plan service (I will tell you about it soon!) BUT this was the perfect thing to supplement in when I just don’t have time to cook! I like to make ahead a couple of freezer meals or use my Instant Pot on days when I know that dinner won’t happen otherwise. Jamie has been loving these recipes too and it’s helped us to not eat out as often. There are seriously SO many other awesome resources included but honestly, I would get the bundle JUST for those three. Even if those three don’t speak to you, I HIGHLY recommend that you go check out the bundle for yourself and browse the other areas and topics that are included. There is seriously something for everyone! And it’s a steal of a deal that you don’t want to miss. They only do this once a year. And the products are different every year. Find the things that speak to YOU and will help you simplify and enjoy your role as a wife and mom more. Personally, I know that I’ll never be able to use all the resources. {There are seriously 129 products included!} But it’s my plan to just pick one thing at a time to focus on. And even if I never use more than just 3 or 4, it’s TOTALLY paid for itself and more than worth the price. When you see the price you’re going to be FLOORED! It’s a total no-brainer! Are you ready for this….. Grab your bundle for just $29.97! Sadly, this bundle sale has ended! But we have something in the works coming to you soon! We can’t wait to let you know when our next bundle is ready! CLICK HERE for exclusive VIP advance notice!
You guys! The total value is $3,687.47! WHAT?!! No. That’s not a typo. We’re NOT KIDDING! This is honestly and truly 99% OFF! Get your own Dates Night Kits, plus, over 100 resources on topics to organize and simplify your life. There are eBooks, printables, eCourses, memberships and MORE! One super important detail though…. This is only available until Monday, APRIL 16th, 2018! And I almost hesitate to say this because it’s going to make it seem even more unbelievable, but did we mention that there are BONUSES? Lots of bonuses? Like a free 1-month subscription from BookRoo and KiwiCrate? And those are just two of them. Do yourself a favor and check this out stat. And of course, if you have any questions, comment below and we’ll do our best to answer them right away. I can’t wait to see what products become your favorites! Please comment and let me know so that they can become my favorites too!
