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True Romance for Couples with
Kids:10 Inexpensive Ideas
by Susie Cortright
Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of perfume, but
it takes creativity, forethought, and time to be truly romantic.
The key lies in personalizing your celebration. Here are ten ideas to
fuel your own creativity:
1. Empty a box of chocolates. Then cut out 50 to 100 hearts from lace
doilies, construction paper, or fabric. On each cutout, record something
about him that you love. Be specific, "The way you smell when you come
to bed at night," "The way you take care of me when I’m sick," "Your
recipe for pancakes"...
Fold the cutouts, place them in the chocolate box, and top with a red
satin bow.
The time you spend coming up with these ideas will contribute to your
own romantic mood, and what he thinks is a plain box of chocolates will
be a gift he’ll keep close to his heart forever. And you can add to the
box on Valentine's Day, his birthday, your anniversary, and other
holidays throughout the year.
2. Build a romantic fire. Before the kids go to bed, have fun roasting
marshmallows. After their lights are out, host your own indoor picnic,
complete with a bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries.
3. Recreate your first date together. What were you wearing? Where did
you go? Do you remember what you talked about? Spend the evening
reminiscing and reflecting on how far you’ve come as a couple.
4. Spoon all night.
5. Choose a book in which you are both interested; fiction or
nonfiction. Read a new chapter each night before bed. This cozy
tradition will allow you to spend some quality time together and often
makes for thought-provoking breakfast conversations.
6. Make a tape of the songs special to your relationship. Include "your
song," songs from your wedding, songs from favorite movies. Add a
personal voice dedication and leave it in his briefcase, Walkman, or car
stereo.
7. Turn off the TV.
8. Kidnap your husband. Arrange for a babysitter for a few hours or a
few days. A friend of mine had a lot of success with this one. She knew
her husband had always wanted to get married in Vegas, but he had agreed
to a large, formal ceremony hosted by her family. So, after they had
been married 10 years, she surprised him at work with a packed suitcase.
They caught an evening flight and renewed their vows before an Elvis
impersonator in a Vegas chapel. Years later, they’re still talking about
it.
9. This one requires a babysitter, too. Next time you’re visiting your
parents or in-laws, leave the kids with their grandparents and travel to
another town, where no one will recognize you. Check into a hotel or
B&B. Dress like another woman. Act like another woman. It’s fun to slip
into another persona from time to time.
10. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap candy kisses inside,
and hide them around the house. Each poem should be a clue to finding
the next one. Make sure the final clue lands your man someplace you want
to end up for the entire evening. A romance package, including a bottle
of champagne and new lingerie, is a nice touch.
Create some romantic memories today. Not with your pocketbook, but with
your imagination.
About the author
Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of Rekindling Your Romance after
Kids and More Energy for Moms. She is also the founder of the
award-winning Momscape.com, a website designed to help busy parents find
balance. Visit
http://www.momscape.com today and get Susie's *free* course-by-email
"6 Days to Less Stress."
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