OOOh baby you know what I like!!!-Date

***NEW GROUP AND SPOUSE INVITATIONS ADDED TO AT THE BOTTOM (available to download)

Wow, my husband is so clever.  He came up with this catchy date name, and what can I say, I like it! You can  make this either a group date or a couple date depending on what you want.

This date is all about making choices for your spouse and is sure to spark conversation about what you already know about each other and what you still have to learn!

1.  Pick out the outfits.  Each person picks out what they think their spouse's favorite outfit is to wear on the date.
2. Go out for dinner and order for each other.  Choose everything for your spouse and vice versa, including drinks, meals, and desserts. (If you are out with a group (and have friends like mine), can you just imagine the conversations that will spring up about each other?)
3. Play the Newly Wed Game.  After dinner, return home and play this lively game with friends or as a couple.  This game is fun whether you are newly weds or been married for a while. Instructions:  Take turns asking either husband or wives  a question, and they have to predict what they think their spouse's answer would be.  And example question for husbands could be, "How many pairs of shoes does your wife own?".  A good way to keep track of this is to have both partners write down their answer on paper so they can't change it.  To find which questions you want to use, go to these helpful links here and here. If you are playing with a group, this can be really funny and you could pick up some gag gifts at the dollar store for the winners!  If you are playing as a couple, write down a service prize that your spouse can do for you if you win, or what you will do for them if they win (30 min. back massage, foot rub, husband makes dinner, day without changing diapers, etc).  Trust me, incentives make games more competitive and fun!
 Optional:
 I've learned that surprises make everything more fun on a date, so if you want, you could just tell your spouse that you have a date planned on Friday at 6pm and lay the details on him that night.  Also, going the extra effort to make invitations to give to your spouse or friends, starts anticipation for the date and that's sometimes half the fun...and makes the fun last longer around any memorable date.  Here are some free download invitations that we created.  (Group Date Invitation) (Spouse Invite) After clicking the link, go to file and then click download original.  From there you can add information for your date and print.

 So there it is, all through this date you have learned so much about your loved one, or proved you know them best and it can be a very enriching night!

If you try this, or have any additional ideas for this date, comment and let me know! 

Happy loving,
Rachelle

Welcome Friends!!!

Welcome to my new blog, Live Romantique!  The word Romantique is to suggest the art of romance, or loving someone.  I am very excited to have a place to store my many ideas and discoveries that adds fun and romance into my own marriage and hopefully to yours too!  My vision for this blog is to include all things from date ideas, gifts, romantic destinations, food for thought, and basically anything that I find of value for strengthening and maintaining happy (totally fun) marriages!

AND SINCE IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY.....
I first wanted to thank the most important person in my life for loving me and continually striving to make each day better, my husband, you sincerely amaze me!  This Valentine's he gave me many gifts I didn't expect and that I of course adored.  But what I appreciated the most was how he took care of me and our family this past weekend while I was sick along with the two youngest children.  He had planned a Valentine's date for us this weekend and I was of course dissapointed that I didn't feel well enough to keep our plans.  He cheerfully went to the store to pick up things for the sick kids, and came home with surprises for all of us.

A dozen roses, chocolate bar, and a red (my favorite color) crockpot for me.  We needed a bigger crockpot, but seriously, he scored points because he bought the red one.  It's so pretty!  Weird that it brings me happiness, but I love that he knows me!  And the kids got new coloring books and sweetheart candy (Dollar Store).  He also borrowed some movies for us to watch over the weekend.  Despite being sick, this turned out to be a fabulous weekend seeing just how loved I am.  My husband did laundry, at least 5 loads of dishes, cooked the meals, cleaned up vomit from children, helped me get up with the sick baby at night, made cookies, painted our daughter's nails when she requested it, let me take a 3 hour nap, and continued to ask what he could do in advance to help make my Monday easier if I was still feeling sick!  When our house could have so easily been turned upside down, I was shocked to see the kitchen sparkling clean Sunday night and the beautiful roses on the table, and I thought, I am so very lucky to be loved by my husband!!!

 A lot of these things aren't really out of the ordinary for my husband to do for me and the family, but I was grateful that my eyes were opened to see that these things were his way of showing his love and concern.
  Love Tip #1:  Open your eyes and discover the way your spouse shows their love for you daily! 

Happy loving,
Rachelle