Year of Dates: Something old, Something new...

Ryan and I went on our first date in our year of dates. For this first month, I wanted to embrace the new, but stick with the "old." We are pretty set in our ways when it comes to our "fancy" nights out. We have one favorite restaurant in town that is definitely a favorite. Christopher's opened the year we met and while it wasn't our first date, it is our place. We are the kind of people that would call in to go orders in college and pick up food in our pjs and eat at home. We don't mind spending money on food. Clearly. 

I thought it would be fun to venture out a little so we went to a highly recommended favorite among some of our friends.

When I went to pick up the gift card, I had all 3 kids with me and it was rainy and cold and I didn't feel like dragging them all in with me. So, I did what any good mom of 3 would do... I sent Radley in to do it for me. I like to think that I was encouraging his confidence, boosting his character, showing him trust and empowering his responsibility. (You may refer to this as being lazy.)

So in he went with a crisp Benjamin in his hand and giant kool-aid smile on his face. And y'all - he could hardly contain his excitement when he came back to the car.

"Mom! READ it!" 

....

I could just see him walking in there all Macaulay Culkin-like doing his thing. 

What makes this date even better? It was a MONDAY y'all! And my brother watched the kids. So - free babysitting to boot? 

#perfect

We chatted, enjoyed the wine, ate every last bite of food and didn't have to get up once to take someone else to the bathroom.  It was by far my favorite 1.5 hours of 2015 so far. This man, crazy as he makes me, makes me crazy for him. 

We made it home in time to kiss the kids goodnight (because Uncle Pete clearly let them stay up late) and watched AN ENTIRE movie without falling asleep. (If you haven't seen This is Where I Leave You... we loved it).  We were basically teenagers. 

(Teenagers that also counted out tickets for our kid's school festival.)

(But whatever.)

1 down, 11 more to go! And so excited about the envelope he opens next!