Date Night

Oooooohhhhh, a date, I can't wait! Well, date night just isn't what it used to be. But, that doesn't mean it's bad, just different.

One recent Sunday night I asked my husband if he wanted to go on a date with me where we wouldn't have to pay for a babysitter. He said sure. So, I told him that we needed some groceries and HyVee Barlow has free babysitting in a great kids' play area. You can leave the kids for TWO HOURS while you shop. Maybe they should attach a movie theatre to that grocery store. I wouldn't care if all they showed was previews for an hour, it would still be great!

He was a good sport and it was actually really fun! We dropped the kids off at the play area and headed to the cafe area to write the list. Now I probably should have done this before but I wanted my hubby to be involved in the process of groceries. Soon, I realized, he didn't care what we ate, just as long as he didn't have to make it or think about it. The list was quickly finished, we continued on our way.

Very shortly into our grocery aisle date, I realized that it would have been cheaper to get a babysitter, go to dinner and a movie, than it was going to be to take my husband grocery shopping. After being home with the kids for two years and carefully shopping and price comparing EVERYTHING, I've become very adept at knowing what we can and cannot afford. Hostess anything is never on my list. And everyone knows you don't ever buy gum at the grocery store. And we don't yet need a pack of gumballs for when Lyndee starts potty training. Or the mega jumbo size of coffee that we might drink someday. Or the expensive napkins because they look nice. Or whole milk, fancy yogurt, vitamin supplements, candy, the list goes on and on. I think that if I had left him at home, I would have saved about $50.

The great thing about going with him (other than getting to hold his hand and having him try a little flirting in the frozen foods) was that he can actually see how much we spend on food. He can appreciate how much thought goes into menu planning for breakfast, lunch and supper. He understands how it can be tedious for me and hasn't complained about any food I've made since that trip. And there were other benefits...adult conversation (even if it was about turkey vs. beef hotdogs), not saying "kids are you with me? Keep up, we have to keep moving," the kiss in the baby aisle even though it makes him want to have another one, and the pause at Starbucks when he said, "yeah, I guess we don't actually NEED that."

And I feel confident that I can send him to the grocery store for me. In fact, I knew my training had succeeded earlier this year when I sent him to the store and everything he came home with was on the list.....and it was generic. Good job honey!

So, date night isn't what it used to be. But having my man shop with me without my kids around? Well, for me, it was kind of like romantic foreplay...I'll take grocery store date night anytime. And from now on, so will he!