DATE CHALLENGE

Maybe you're like me and my husband and get comfortable spending the weekends at home watching favorite TV shows or movies. We don't have kiddos yet and both work during the week, so our lives are pretty uneventful on the weekends. While I thoroughly enjoy spending these simple moments just enjoying my husband's company, I think it is really important for couples to get out of the house to do something different and add some variety to a marriage/relationship to keep the spark alive.

So I've decided to invite all of you to join me on a challenge of going on a weekly date with your spouse/significant other. I'm sure most of you do this already, so this is for the couples that don't. This challenge will be for the rest of 2017! Make it a weekly priority to go out-- whether it's for a weekend getaway, a night, a couple hours, or even 30 minutes! It can be free, cheap, or a million dollars... :) whatever your heart (or wallet) desires! Make it silly or make it romantic. Try something new or if there is something you two absolutely love to do together, do that every week! Make it work for you and most importantly-- have fun with it!

If you've got kiddos and don't want to/can't hire a babysitter, ask a friend with kids to do this challenge with you and swap child care! That way you're not spending extra money!

Here are some ideas broken down by price:

FREE

• 30 minute walk. On a trailhead nearby or even just around the neighborhood-- just be sure not to get distracted talking with neighbors while you're out. This is quality time with your spouse.
• a picnic. Pack up what you'd have for lunch or dinner and take it to the park or a pretty picnic area up in the mountains.
• Hike
• Fishing (free if you've got your license/poles/tackle already)
• Volunteer
• Go on a scenic drive
• Stargazing. The mountains have got to be the best place for this if you've got a truck! Take lots of blankets and pillow and lay in the back of the truck and enjoy the view of the close stars and the silence away from the busyness of the city. If you don't have a truck, maybe just drive to a quiet park and lay out a blanket on the grass.
• Go to the park to play a fun game of tennis or basketball. Loser has to do the dishes after dinner!
• Play at the park like you're kids again!
• Bike rides
• Geocaching
• Play in the snow (sledding, have a snowball fight, build a snowman, etc.)

CHEAPER

• Movie
• Dinner date
• Paint night
• Camping-- for a night or for the weekend
• Line dancing
• Take a class together (cooking class?)
• Go out for ice cream
• Bowling
• Go to a museum
• Couples massage
• Golfing (or mini golf)
• Arcade
• Shooting
• Comedy Club

MORE EXPENSIVE

• Day trip. Find somewhere somewhat close that you've never been to or that you'd like to visit again. Spend the day sight-seeing, having lunch/dinner, shopping, etc.
• Weekend getaway. Maybe there's somewhere in your state that you've never been that you'd like to see (one of mine is to go to Arches National Park-- lived in Utah my whole life and have never been!
• Sporting event
• Concert

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OFFICAL CHALLENGE RULES
-Once per week
-At least 30 minutes
-Get out of the house
-Only you and your spouse/significant other

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What are some of your favorite date ideas?! Free, cheap, or expensive! Let us know and we can add them to our list!