We love to go on dates.

And we day dream that we can go on more.
Dating while married and several small children is a challenge.
BUT oh so worth the effort.
SOOO needed for our friendship/courtship/ bond.
WE hardly ever get to go.
Sicky babies,
Nursing babies,
Worry wort ME who ruins dates because I'm too worried about the baby at home.
Lack of affordable ideas while the weather is cold.
Lack of planning.
Lack of people we know well enough to leave 3 small children with, that don't already have their plate full on a Friday night with their own kiddies. You know, you know. BUT Grandma Orton aka best babysitter ever came to town!  Grandma's *sigh*, how can we ever re-pay them? The only way I can think of is being a good grandma too.

Here's a glimpse into our worry free evening.  Knowing our babies are not just being watched but loved, allowed us to take a small breather and once again get to know each other just a little bit better.

We felt so light, we practically skipped to the restaurant.

We. were. giddy.

Rules of engagement for last night: 1. NO talking of health or work.

2. No talking of money or business matters.

3. Minimal talk about the children. 

We needed a just US night.

The Place: Asiago's (Devin won a free dinner.)

The kind of place you have to make reservations.

The kind of place where you say: " I don't know what caper's are." so they bring you some, tell you how they are made and where these particular ones were grown.

The kind of place that they really want to know if you love your food, because if not, they really want to bring you something else.

The kind of place where Devin felt he needed to pull my chair out for me, 

then awkwardly try to scoot me in too.

And the kind of place known for their wine.

Here is Devin making his Shawn Connery face. 

Because.... well... I think.. I don't know actually.

The gift card I think was an amount to cover the cost of dinner AND wine.

We had to order a lot of food to make up for the fact that we don't drink!

We ordered Creme Brulee for dessert.

WOW.

How have we missed out on this our whole lives?

Here is Devin giving the "It's so good it hurts expression."

While in line to get into the restaurant Devin kept sniffing and saying  LOUDLY:

 "It smells like cheese in here!" 

Geez, SURE does smell like Cheese." 

When ignoring him didn't stop his cheese talk, I finally looked at him to give him the 

knock it off look. 

This only amused him.

  He said again louder:

 " Yup Definitely cheese, hmm is that..aaasiAGO cheese?  *sniff* YUP definitely Asaigo." 

Then gave me a goofy grin.

The people around us had goofy grins on too.

I realized something about Devin last night.
Being silly, making a scene, etc. does not embarrass him.
In fact if he were to fall down in public (on accident, because he trips, runs into doors, on purpose MANY a time) IF he were to accidentally fall or something, he would laugh harder than anyone else.
The only thing that truly embarrasses Devin is if something were to happen that would
cause someone to questions his morals, character etc.
And my love grew.

I really have a fun life ahead with Devin to share it with.

Then we went for an after dinner freezing-cold walk.
 Good thing I have procrastinated cleaning out our winter sledding gear from the car.

We talked about people we admire and want to be like,
 future trips and dates we want to go on, just us two.

We laughed a lot that night.

Much needed.

Then something reminded me of our children,

started talking about the funny things they do and say, 

missed them too bad and hurried home.

Late Addition to new Years resolutions: 

Date night. Do it.