It's the most wonderful day... Of the week!!

Friday April 26th...

I sent Mr. Smith out the door with a big hug and kiss and proceeded to try and spend a few hours trying to at least get the dishes done up from our super busy week we had experienced thus far.

I was in an extra happy mood 

as I was listening to some very FUN music while I was cleaning.  

In fact, I wrote the following message to Tracy... 

"Tracy... I love how much fun you bring to our house when you come home from work, especially, when it's been a long and stressful day and you come in the door and hook up your iPhone to our stereo and start playing FUN music that you purchased that day and you get us all excited! I LOVE this song "The Great Commandment" by Camouflage that you downloaded yesterday... it's playing loudly as I'm trying to get us out of a mess from our whirlwind of a week we've had thus far!! Kisses! Looking forward to D8NITE!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anWILW5_llM

Well do you want to know how he responded...

"Glad you like the song. Camouflage takes us back... 

Can't wait for D8NITE. We should go somewhere different tonight. 

 Snakebite maybe?"

(I SPY... a blooming Geranium 
along with a handsome face when I stopped by my hubby's office today! 
Amazing how a little splash of color and lunch with your best friend can brighten your day. 
Simple things bring so much JOY! )

D8 NITE!!

No matter how busy or crazy the week, 
there is ALWAYS a DATE with the love of my life!

I'm SO grateful that over seven years ago, Tracy was told to leave work on a Friday night and call his wife and take her on a date!  There has hardly been a week that we haven't gotten away on a date together!
Most of our dates are simple and frugal...
we usually split a Pork Salad at Cafe Rio,
Nacho Mucho at Plum Loco
or a Fiesta Chicken Salad at McDonald's.
We then usually go and walk around the mall a few times holding hands and talking, or, in the hot summer months,we go and walk the Green Belt in downtown Idaho Falls.
Many times, we go and sit in Barnes and Noble and read magazines or books and on our way home we always end up getting some yummy produce and a Rotisserie chicken to enjoy the next week.

I love our time with no kids...
no interruptions, 
just time to talk,
time to dream,
time to enjoy whatever music we have purchased that week,
time to enjoy nature and usually a spectacular sunset!

D8 NITE...
it truly is the most wonderful day
 of the week for me!

YES, we did decide to "shake things up a little"
and splurge and go enjoy the Snakebite for dinner.
(While we are VERY frugal on our dates, and the meal we got tonight could have paid for 3 meals on future dates, it was SO worth it!

Fun atmosphere,
Awesome art on the walls,
Delicious food
and the VERY best company ever!

Cell phones get turned off on date night, 

However,  Tracy got an emergency message from his boss that he had to deal with first off.

Other than taking some photos of the moment, 
the phones were off the rest of the night!

SO much in LOVE!!!
I could be wrong, but, I think the photographer 
really adores the gal in this photo!!

 The COOLEST art paintings on the walls! 

Loved the brick walls and 
LOVED the colorful and abstract paintings! 

YUM!!

Look at that handsome face, 
enyoing a little sunshine and R&R after a long, busy week!

D8 NITE...

Something I look forward to and something I definitely could not live without!

I hope all of my friends and family are enjoying weekly date nights as well.
If you connect at least once a week with your spouse,
 there's no way you can get too disconnected from each other.
One of the best things you can do for your marriage!  

Oh happy day...
Oh happy life!!

My favorite night of the week!

 

D8 NITE!

 Here comes the weekend…

”Every shape of every word you say that breaks the silence of an ordinary day.  Every look that seems to mystify, every single smile that spins me to the sky. It makes me wanna run, it makes me wanna hide. 'Cuz  you're the only one that makes me come alive...” 

Roxette Tourism Album "Here Comes the Weekend"

(photo circa 1994)

I am SO grateful that we are at a point in our lives

 where Tracy and I can connect with each other on a weekly DATE together!  

I have been looking through photos and scanning them into computer and I came across this photo. This was the summer after I had Jade and life was exhausting from getting on a schedule of having a new little bundle of JOY and a nursing baby and there weren't weekly dates happening at this point in our lives.   

SO, I surprised Tracy when he came home from work 

with a little "Candlelight dinner" and movie treats to enjoy an evening at home after Jade was asleep.

Those were the days when we listened to the song "Here comes the weekend" and I would dream about the day, when Date Night would once again return to our lives.

 **********************

 It’s been a long, tiring month. 

A month that has had every week (especially, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) filled to the max with school activities, scouting events, family, work and church obligations that it’s been two weeks since I have been on an official FRIDAY NIGHT DATE with the love of my life Tracy!!

Thank goodness for nightly two mile walks around our neighborhood with my sweetie to at least “catch up” and talk without interruptions from the kiddos.

Today, after a week of COLD, dark, dreary days, the sun is shining so beautifully and YES, even though at this moment that I am typing this it is only 36 degrees outside, I am SO excited beyond measure for a

HOT date that I have to look forward to tonight with Tracy!

Too bad that I don’t have 73 degree weather to look forward to like we so very much enjoyed on our date  2 weeks ago on May 13th...

 where I was able to put on a cute skirt, short sleeved shirt

and wear my Chaco sandals, but I am thrilled!!

There is just something 

about driving in the car being able to completely listen to each and every word that we are saying without interruptions from kids, or phone calls.

Listening to music of all genres (depending upon what mood we’re in),  

enjoying gorgeous scenery and amazing sunsets,  

staring at each other and not able to do anything but SMILE as we are talk about our goals and dreams together, 

sharing an entrée for dinner,  

walking hand in hand, 

completely in tune to only each other and no one else  

AND 

having one night a week where laughter and smiles are in ABUNDANCE, 

where nothing else matters but each other and we are able to give each other undivided attention.  

These precious moments in our week 

called D8 NITE 

are treasures to me!

Happy Weekend…

 happy putting the school year to rest for the summer, 

happy 5 days off of work in a row 

to spend with my sweetie AND sons creating wonderful memoires…  

Life is oh SO good 

and I am blessed beyond measure  

with all of the things that truly matter in life!

My Real Life Love Story!

The song "Love Story" by Taylor Swift

seems to be popular with the youth right now. In fact, this past month Tracy and Jade went to a youth fireside and "Jon Schmidt" was one of the performers and played this on the piano and the kids in the audience went wild and were singing the song word for word.

Tracy came across this
"A More Real Love Story" video
that is a parody of the Taylor Swift song/video
that is PERFECT for all married couples
in Love with Children.

It starts out showing a young couple meeting and then falling in love and then how REAL LIFE sets in and you deal with the chaos of life and wonder if you're ever going to be able to go on a date again!!
To see this video with the catchy modern tune

(listen closely to the words)

that will make you dance, make you smile, make you laugh and make you want to get out there on a date with your sweetie...
Click Here
(Ethan was sitting with Tracy and I when we first watched/listened to this and he loved this song/video SO much he laughed and played it over and over and over...just like a typical kid.)

A few photos from my
Real Life Love story...
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith".

20 Years of wedded bliss!!
(Even though it started out in front of a "balloon backdrop" and my handsome prince charming forgot his white socks and was wearing black socks with his white shoes and tuxedo...We both still laugh at both of those moments!)

Marrying Mr. Smith

has been and always will be the HAPPIEST and most perfect day of my life!!

Through thick and thin, good and bad hair days, daily walks together around the block, perfect days, rain storms, snow storms, hikes in the mountains, raising sons, camping, playing in the water on the beach, enjoying nature, dealing with the stress of sick kids, DATE NIGHT, whatever it is we are doing, there is always lots of hand holding and plenty of laughter and joy and

I LOVE and cherish each and every moment of my
very REAL,
very HAPPY
Love Story!!
Looking forward to getting all "gussied up" to enjoy my Friday Night Date with the love of my life "Mr. Smith"!!

Happy Weekend,
Happy Date Night,
Happy Life!!