I've decided that one of the best present that anyone could give us is a restaurant gift card. Before being married I probably would have just said to give me money because I can use it however I want. However, nowadays, if people give me money I feel the need to put it into our savings account or pay our gas bill with it. Now that's no fun for a birthday present.
When Anna moved back to PA she left us a gift card to Red Robin and ticket vouchers for the movie theater. That was when I realized that "date night" gifts are the best gifts.
We sat there in Red Robin, enjoying burgers and fries and I didn't have to stress or feel guilty about it one bit because: I didn't have to pay for it! It was a beautiful evening.
It's probably not a surprise that when Christmas came around and A.J. sent us a gift card to Olive Garden, I was EXCITED. (Not only did I not have to pay for a date night with the boy, I LOVE OLIVE GARDEN!). Olive Garden has special meaning to us. Darin took me there for my birthday way back when in August of 2010, the night that he kissed me for the first time. We also went there for our honeymoon (thank you wedding present gift card!). Then last weekend we decided to use A.J.'s gift card in what could quite possible be our last romantic date of our lives. (Yeah right! But maybe the last one for a little while since the baby is coming so soon and that might just change some things).
(Check out that Olive Garden comparison. Little itty bitty newlywed Brillante and big massive almost newly mother Brillante. Identical leftovers).
Let's go back to Saturday afternoon. My friend Melissa is currently in massage therapy school and has been taking a pregnancy class. She needed someone to work on this weekend and I was MORE than happy to let her practice on me. Kind of the same idea as the gift card, anything you get to do for free seems to be MUCH more enjoyable. It was great. Thank you Melissa for choosing me to be your pregnant model.
After the massage we decided to hit up a new temple while we were up North and decided on the River Jordan temple. Beautiful temple.
Who knows what "date night" will be like after the little guy makes his appearance. It might take a little while to figure it out, but we'll figure it out. I love my date nights with Darin and strongly believe that date nights help keep a strong marriage. Whether those date nights are going out to a restaurant and movie, going for a run and then getting a Jamba Juice Smoothie, staying home and watching old tv shows or something as simple as playing a game of chess, they're important to me and keep the spark alive in our quickly changing partnership.
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