For Valentine’s Day, I gave my husband a year of planned out dates. I got the idea from What’s Up Fagans? I planned two dates per month, with a few bonus dates thrown in for fun. These are geared towards being pregnant and then having a little one to tote around as well. I discovered that planning dates, especially this many all at once takes a lot of effort, so I thought I’d share them, and maybe they’ll help you find something to do or inspire you in some way to go date your spouse.
February
Visit the chocolate exhibit at the Utah Museum of Natural History.
– This was a fun one and it is open until June, so you can still go. They have chocolate tastings on Wednesday and Saturday, but they sell out very fast, so you have to buy those tickets early. For us out of countyers, that’s a little difficult.
Organize photos on computer together.
– We didn’t get to this one in February, because we were invited along for a lot of other dates. I think it might be our date for this week. Basically, when the kids go to bed, we’ll snuggle together and reminisce over the millions of digital photos we have, and try to sort them so we can actually do things with them.
March
Go to the Festival of Colors.
– I have been dying to go to this for years, but my husband is so wary of taking the kids that I planned this one for just the two of us.
Pick out a new puzzle and put it together.
– I love putting puzzles together, and it’s always fun to have a companion helping out.
April
Go see Peter Pan at the Hale Center Theater.
– We both love theater, and I’ve wanted to see Peter Pan on stage since I found out it was a stage play, not just a movie, as a kid. Strangely, I found out it was a book last. Completely backward chronology.
Pick out a 3D puzzle and put it together.
– This one is geared more towards my husband. Sometime in the first year of our relationship (tons of stuff happened in that first year, so it all gets blurred together), we went to a hobby store, which we both love, and he mentioned wanting to put one of these together with me.
Bonus Date: Captain America
– I already know I want to see it, so I stuck it in there at the last minute.
May
Visit the Red Butte Gardens.
– I seriously debated putting this one in, because I’ll be massively pregnant when this happens, but I’ve been wanting to go, and the gardens should be pretty by then.
Game Night: Little Big Planet, Ticket to Ride, and Phase 10.
– Those are just some of our favorite games to play together. I’m, also, open to new games, which I’m sure we have somewhere.
June
Bowling at Fat Cats.
– This is a date that we both enjoy, and that I would feel comfortable taking a newborn on, especially if its not on a typical date night.
Make paper airplanes.
– I fully intend on making the most epic paper airplanes we possibly can. I will probably have a Pinterest board for this one.
Bonus Date: How to Train Your Dragon 2
– The first was awesome. Hopefully the second will be, too.
July
Bookstore Scavenger Hunt
– Some of our best dates have been in bookstores (R.I.P. Borders), but we have seriously different taste in books, so this will be a way to do something together before we go our separate ways, and then meet back up together for some hot chocolate.
Watch the sunset.
– Around here, it’s very easy to find a high perch on a mountain to watch the sunset, and see the city lights come on.
August
Make a movie about an invisible man.
– I think this one is just going to be super dorky, but I really hope we have fun with it.
Enjoy a dessert bar at home.
– Yum.
Bonus Date: See the Scarlet Pimpernel at the Scera Shell Outdoor Theater.
– This is a favorite show of ours, so I’m really excited to see it live.
September
Chalk the Block.
-We’ve been to this before, but this time we’ll leave the kids at home. It’ll be way less stressful. We enjoy the farmers market that’s attached to it as well.
Build a campfire in the backyard and enjoy marshmallows and hotdogs.
– Fun. Relaxing. No stress of having to find a baby sitter. I can’t wait for this one.
October
Go to a corn maze.
– Can you believe that we have never been to a corn maze as a date? I don’t know how that’s happened for so many years, but I’m making it right this year. For the baby, I’m thinking baby wearing and nice warm clothes.
Fondue Night
– This will be a fun at home date. We were given some great fondue pots when we got married, and we get them out every now and then. Plus, it’s fun to see what mixes well with chocolate.
November
Go to a comedy theater. Desert Star or Off Broadway.
– Neither of us have been, and they sound like a lot of fun. Now that I think about it, this doesn’t sound baby friendly, but I’m not going to write it off until I see how things are going at that point. If need be, I’ll switch it up for something else.
Paint a Bob Ross painting.
– This is a super fun one to do. Basically, you get a Bob Ross DVD, pick a painting, and paint along with him. It doesn’t matter what kind of paper or paint you use, so long as you have fun and finish your painting when he does.
Bonus Date: Recreate our first date, getting ice cream at the Union.
– We met at the University of Utah. On the second day that we got to spend time together, he bought me ice cream in the middle of a blizzard at the Union. We became facebook friends, and started “chatting” like crazy that night.
December
Visit an art museum.
– There are so many all over the place, and many of them are free.
Relax with a movie and popcorn at home.
– I saved this one specifically for the holidays. It’s a stressful, busy time of the year, and I want to make sure we get a break from all of that.
January
Go to Tucanos Brazilian Grill.
– If you’ve never been, it’s worth it. Never ending meat, and a salad bar that beats just about any other salad bar out there. Grilled pineapple. Fried bananas. Sushi (for those of you that like sushi). Death by Chocolate Cake.
Build a computer together.
– “Like with all new parts?” “Yes, with all new parts.” I think a trip to the Fry’s in Vegas is in order for this one. This date is 1) his birthday present, 2) a celebration of working so hard to become financially stable, and 3) a chance to let him show me all the nerdy stuff that he is always dying to show me.