French Date Night

"Je t'aime Mon chéri."

Or in other words, I love you my sweetheart, in French. I mean, who hasn't dreamt about a romantic week in Paris, the city of lights? Walking down ancient cobblestone treats, sipping cafe au late, eating warm croissants and tasting French wine? I know we have toyed with the idea of flying to Paris for dinner and some romance! 

While we can't always jump on a plane for a romantic date on the whimsical streets of Paris, I will strongly recommend making your own date in Paris...at home! 

I am all about themed date nights. I have been known to come up with some really interesting ones. And a French themed date night is one we have done to some extent before, and I plan on doing another in the near future, so I wanted to share my ideas with y'all, too! 

These are a few different French Date Night themed ideas that you can use! 

The French Outdoor Picnic

With spring in the air and weather getting nicer, it is fun to get outside and pretend you're out in France enjoying a spring day. 

Location: At your home on the lawn with a big blanket, or if you have a patio table, do that up! Or you can go to a nearby park, but be careful if you are having wine (most public places you CAN'T drink at all, plus there's the driving bit).

What you need:
- A picnic blanket, or a table done up with a table cloth
- Classic French foods, bread, cheeses, "small bites" sorts of foods (see below for ideas!)
- Your phone or some sort of device to listen to music on
- Maybe even some fresh flowers to decorate with! (Get creative!)
- Picnic supplies (Plates, silverware, cups, etc)

What to eat: French baguettes, grapes, apples, a few cheeses (one of my favorites is brie), honey, salami or other dried meats, a favorite bottle of wine, and chocolate truffles for dessert. Or, if you have a local place around that makes them, have macaroons! 

What to listen to: A French inspired Pandora station (you can do Spotify as well but I have found Pandora to be better for me personally when listening to this sort of mix station)

What to do: Put the music on, get some fresh flowers, do up your picnic blanket or table and enjoy your food and wine while listening to French music! Set it up together, sit, and take your time enjoying the outdoors together while sharing a meal.

Questions to ask: (Here are some fun questions to get the conversation going too!)
-If you could plan the ultimate Paris vacation (cost no limit), what would you do, what would you see, stay, eat, etc?
-If you could learn one other language, what would it be and why?
-If you could travel anywhere in the states for an ultimate vacation, where would it be and why?
-What was the one place you always dreamt about going as a kid? Have you ever been there?
-What would be your goal or dream for a realistic adventure for us in the next year that we could do together?

Cook Your Way Through France

Two of my favorite French inspired cooking movies are Ratatouille and Julie and Julia. Ah, classics! Another GREAT one that we watched not long ago is The Hundred Foot Journey. If you have one of Julia Child's cookbooks (which are FANTASTIC), pick out a recipe or two to make together (and if you don't, Google is great!), shop for the ingredients, cook, enjoy and then watch one of those movies to top off the night! 

Location: Your home and your kitchen! (Except when getting your ingredients)

What you need: 

-A few French recipes from a cookbook or google (Julia Child's cookbooks are wonderful!)

-Your ingredients for your recipes (Go out and shop together!)
-Aprons (if you get messy in the kitchen!)
-Candles
-Fresh flowers if you so desire to spruce your table up

-A beautiful set table, complete with candlelight! 

-A French inspired movie (our favorites are Julie and Julia, Ratatouille, and The Hundred Foot Journey)
-French music for the background of your dinner

What to do: Grab your aprons and getting to cooking...together! Taste as you go, and enjoy! Grab some wine or make your own lemonade or a favorite beverage while you cook. Talk and enjoy the process. Set the table, do it up big! It's fun to make everything look beautiful for your time together.
Put on a French inspired station on Pandora, and enjoy your romantic meal together! Then, eat dessert while watching your French movie! You could even top the night off with some cafe au lait (coffee with milk)!

Questions to ask: (Again, some more questions you could ask at dinner to get things going!)
-If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
-What was your favorite meal as a child? What is it now?
-If you could have any chef cook you a top of the line, gourmet dinner, who would cook it for you, and what would you have?
-If you could eat your way through any country in the world, which would it be?
-Where is one place that we can explore together in the near future? 

So, our challenge, try your own French themed date night! Or perhaps another international location. A few great places to find French foods are Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and even check your local farmers markets! 

What is your favorite date night theme? 

Marriage Tip #17

Really, this should be called life tip #17, because whether you are married, or single, this tip applies to you. To all of us. Myself and Zach included.

It is something that has come up recently when Zach and I talk about how we can love each other better and what we can do for our marriage.

The tip?

Unplug.

I have talked about this topic before, but it really is that important and it also has been in our hearts lately so I wanted to share the tip with you, too!

In our culture, everything is at our fingertips, so it seems. In even writing this blog post from my phone. We have more access to knowledge and information than ever before. We have more "connections" than ever before.

But that advantage so often becomes our disadvantage. And it can be damaging on relationships.

You can see it practically everywhere you go. People "multitasking" while on their phone. Go to a restaurant and count how many times you see people looking at their phones while in conversation with someone else.

And I am just as guilty, mind you! Though because I am aware of it, Zach and I are both very intentional about our time together.

Our tip is to take time to unplug. Put your phone away while on a date. In fact, leave it at home. Remember how we used to get along fine without a phone on us when we went out? It is possible.

This week Zach and I are taking a week off of TV and not watching and shows or movies. Just a personal choice, we never watch it excessively, but we want to be intentional about our time together.

Removing the distraction of technology gives way to more creativity together! Explore and adventure together. Discover new things, find things out the old fashioned way. Communicate face to face, eye to eye, heart to heart.

Take a bath together, read a book, build a fire. Go camp for a night or just set up your tent in the backyard. Have an uninterrupted coffee date. Make dinner together.

Technology is not evil by any means. It is a fantastic tool. But we have to be intentional in our lives and especially in our marriages, and make way for intentional, face to face, uninterrupted time for each other.

Will you unplug?

Marriage Tip #16

Let's talk about something for a minute here. Now, I realize that this is a very hot button topic. Very taboo, especially in certain circles. It can be awkward to talk about. But these are some of the reasons that I am passionate about it.

Let's talk about sex.

Yikes. Yup, I said SEX.

It's more than a three letter word, it's more than a one night stand, and it is absolutely more than a physical act. And I wish it was talked about more in the right context and in the right light. I wish the truth was shed on it more.

I heard a fantastic quote, I can't remember where or who said it, but it stuck with me, and it is the topic of our marriage tip tonight. The quote is this...

"Satan tries everything to get you to have sex before marriage, and he tries everything to get you to not have sex when you are married."

Y'all. Let's be real. I could write a book about my feelings on what "sex" is in our culture and how it has been hijacked to mean something totally different. Ask people and many will say that sex is just that...sex. Intercourse. Two people in a physical act. It's really not a big deal, everyone does it.

How has something so beautiful been so marred?

In marriage, sex and INTIMACY have been dumbed down. Sex in marriage has been made to be this boring thing, something that husbands grumble about because their wives are "too tired." Intimacy is overlooked in favor of other distractions. True vulnerability, intimacy and closeness is being lost. And the consequences of that can be huge.

Now we are not going to get into the nitty gritty details here. I believe what happens in the bedroom should stay in the bedroom, because it is a safe place, and that is true for Zach and I's marriage. The bedroom is our place, and our intimacy is sacred and special to us.

But the whole point of this tip is to challenge you to really look at your intimate life with your spouse. Do you find yourself shying away from sex and intimacy? Or do you delight in its joys?

Put a top priority on intimacy with your spouse! This doesn't always mean sex, like I said, intimacy is much more than just the physical aspect of sex, although that is an important key. Intimacy is being open, vulnerable and connected with your spouse, and that can happen through many things, sex included.

When you place a priority on intimacy, that openness creates trust, safety, and connection. Isn't it just the most relieving feeling in the world to be balanced and on the same page with your spouse? That feeling of calm and peace? Intimacy creates that. Intimacy fosters that, grows it, and nurtures that.

Honestly, I really could go on and on on this topic of sex. I could take it a thousand different topical directions. But the bottom line is that sex and intimacy in marriage is absolutely vital. Find a way to make it a priority in your marriage and protect that time. It's not something dirty or to be hidden in the dark, or a chore to be checked off and completed. God created it to be a sacred and special time for a husband and wife to connect and be one. One in body, heart, spirit and life.

Don't wait for a time to present itself. Make time.

How do you protect intimate time with your spouse? Brainstorm some ways you can put boundaries around the time you have together and guard that time jealously!

Spring Date Ideas

April showers bring May flowers. Or in this case, I am really hoping that these March showers will bring April flowers! Regardless of when the flowers come, the coming of spring means a whole new world of opportunity to get out and date your mate!

Oh yes, indeed it does. The world will soon be in blossom, and after being cooped up during cold winter months, you are definitely going to want to try some of these date ideas with your spouse or significant other!

These dates don't have to cost a lot, and that is the beauty of it. Finding intentional time to get creative and have fun with your spouse is what is important! Celebrate life with them this spring!

Here are our top ten spring date ideas to get out and have some fun!

1. Grown up Easter egg hunt! Have your own Easter egg hunt...grown up style! Who says kids get to have all the fun? Get a bag of empty Easter eggs, and divide them between the two of you. You can fill them however you want! Big or small, you get creative! You can do their favorite candy, a personal coupon they can redeem, a gift card (if you have a bigger budget), LOVR notes....anything! Hide them outside or around the house and have fun!

2. Scavenger hunt! Use those eggs again for good purpose! Have a fun scavenger hunt. Again, could be around the house, or outside! Fill your Easter eggs with the clues, and lead it to a fun surprise!

3. Go have a picnic! This is the perfect time of year to have a picnic before the bugs and heat come out in full force. Go to your favorite park and have a bite to eat together!

4. Play a game outside! This could be a board game or an actual outdoor game. But there is something so fun about getting out in the fresh air and playing! Zach and I have gone to a local state park and brought a board game and just played on a picnic table. So fun!

5. Take a day hike together. Look online to find what state or national parks may be near you! They are usually very reasonably and cheaply priced to get into for the day. Fill up your water bottles, bring some snacks and hit the trails! Discover s new Area together!

6. Have a "wine and cheese" picnic. Now this you have to be careful with if you use actual wine and if you are outside your own home. Most parks prohibit open containers of any alcohol. But you could do this in your own backyard with wine, or get sparkling wine and go to a park. But go to yourblocsl grocery store, pick out a few fun cheeses to try, some crusty bread, fruit, nuts and maybe a jam, and have a very fun and sophisticated picnic together!

7. Go camping! If you don't have the time or location to fully camp for one or two nights, consider breaking out your tent in your own backyard! Make some s'mores and camp food fare and have fun. This is the perfect time of year to break out the tents.

8. Have dinner by candlelight on your patio. One of my favorite memories as a kid were the nights that we got to eat dinner out on our porch. It's a blast to change up the scenery and enjoy each others company over dinner in the delightful spring air! Don't forget the candles, and remember that Pandora and Spotify have some great playlists to accompany as well! Our most recent favorite: New Orleans Jazz!

9. Paint Easter eggs. Well, you've already hidden the plastic ones, time to hard boil some eggs, buy a dye kit, and paint Easter eggs! It may seems silly, but these fun activities get us out of the normal routine and let us have fun together. Talk about your Easter traditions as a child!

10. Take a day trip to somewhere you haven't been before, and walk around and explore. Don't plan anything except where you are going. Grab your map to get there, and just explore a new place together! Walk around, enjoy the sunshine and find unique places to come back to.

There you have, ten super fun, cheap date night ideas that you can use this spring! Take advantage of this glorious weather, get outside and have fun with each other. It is not all about what you do, but being with your spouse and spending that intentional time with them. Showing them you care by being present and enjoying life with them!

What is your favorite date idea for spring?

The Inn at Christmas Place

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

Snow was falling softly, but quickly from the darkened night sky above. Sounds were muffled from the streets below as people hurried home to their warm beds. An orange glow filled the night sky, and everything was peaceful. Inside, a Christmas movie playing, and Christmas lights blinking. It was peaceful, and magical.

It would sound like Christmas was here, but in fact, this scene was set last week, in February. Zach and I found ourselves completely in raptures during our adventure to a new to us town, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Our destination, the Inn at Christmas Place. Where the spirit of Christmas is held all year round!

For those of you who know us, you know we love Christmas. It is our absolute most favorite time of year. We may have put up our tree right after Halloween last year. And we got married around Christmas! It is a special time of year that we love to spend time with friends and family and spread joy and cheer.

So when we found out about the Inn at Christmas Place, we knew we had to visit. And finally, our time came to have a weekend getaway at the Inn! We booked our two nights, and drove up early (read er arrived at 3am) to Pigeon Forge because we knew snow was coming the next day.

The Inn at Christmas Place was everything we expected and so much more. From first glance to when we drove off, it was an exceptional experience, and I just had to share it with you all!

Christmas Place is a beautiful hotel, and reminds me of a Bavarian building, all decked out in Christmas lights, wreaths, garlands and bows. And of course, it was even more picturesque because snow was on the roof and ground!

The customer service at the Inn is second to none. When we walked in, we were greeted by some really friendly doormen, and then checked in to our room. We were even given some ornaments since it was our first time at the Inn! We were also informed at every night they put out fresh, homemade cookies for free for the guests. Yes, please!

Walking through the hotel to our room we were taking in every detail. Christmas paintings and art, every floor with a themed center desk at the opening of the elevator, there is even a Charlie Brown Christmas themed area playing the movie all day long!

If we thought everything was amazing to that point, our breath was taken away opening the door to our room. We had a mini kitchen area, cabinets, a spacious, clean bathroom with granite countertops. The beds were decked with a lucious red cover and fluffly white pillows. The TV armiorre was topped with a mino Christmas tree, and the walls adorned with winter paintings.

We were blown away. Never have I ever been to such a unique and special hotel!

Our stay only continued to get better as we took morning dips in the pool and hot tub. We also watched the snow fall from the indoor hot tub! We definitely enjoyed our nightly cookies, an incredible hot breakfast included in the mornings, and to top it all off, time with singing Santa on Thursday night!

If you love Christmas, and especially if you love near Tennessee, the Inn at Christmas place is absolutely worth your visit. The customer service that we received alone was well worth our stay. In our culture these days, you don't always find such great service. But the Inn went the extra mile to make sure our stay was incredible, and boy was it!

We will absolutely be back to visit the Inn at Christmas Place.

Some fun places to visit around the Inn:
-The Christmas Place store! Across from the Inn is a huge, amazing Christmas store! Well worth the visit, even if just to look.
-The Old Mill- a working mill from the 1800's, complete with fun country store and restaurant! Very picturesque.
-The Island- an upbeat section of town with some arcades and even a ferris wheel!
-Smokey Mountain National Park is less than ten miles away! A beautiful place for sure.
-Blue Moose Burger and Wings. Zach and I ate here and it was so good! A sports bar and grill feel, but they have some incredible burgers!

Pigeon Forge itself has lots of dinner and theater shows, Dollywood, and lots of fun seasonal outdoor race tracks, putt putt places, and the like!

So if you are near the area and looking for a fun quick getaway, Zach and I can highly recommend the Inn at Christmas Place!

Who else loves Christmas? 

Marriage Tip #6

Christmas has come and gone all too quickly, I am afraid. When I was a kid, everything seemed to magically slow down around the twinkling Christmas tree, and now time comes flying at us and runs me over. Never the less, this Christmas was one I will always cherish.

It was our second Christmas together as a married couple, and we just passed our one year anniversary this month! It's crazy to think how quickly a year has gone by, and I know the second will come just as swiftly. This time of year is our absolute favorite, too.

Not just because it's our anniversary, but because it's Christmas! The time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, and a time that both Zach and I have adored since we were small. It's been a blessing to create our own memories and traditions together this year!

Which brings me to my next marriage tip...take time to create your own traditions with your spouse!

I promise you, it can be a lot of fun.

Your traditions don't have to be anything incredibly elaborate, though if that's your style, go for it! We started a few of our own traditions this year, and I'm confident that we will continue to add our own as the years go on.

Since becoming a Georgia peach, I have learned that the south takes tradition very seriously. Which isn't a bad thing. I actually really have enjoyed being a part of Zach's families traditions, which inspired me to think of our own traditions to add to the mix!

Here are some of the traditions that we created this year, and some ideas of what you can do, too!

1. Made popcorn and cranberry garland while watching a Christmas movie. Yup, old fashioned air popped pop corn and fresh cranberries! Get some string, a needle and get to creating! It's seriously a lot of fun, just don't poke your fingers!

2. Visited Stone Mountain Christmas. This is a local attraction in Atlanta, and one that Zach has gone to for years! It was really special to go with him as his wife this year. Find a local Christmas or holiday event that you guys can make into a yearly tradition to attend!

3. Host our own Christmas party! This was a first for me! And my little hostess heart was so happy to have so many dear people in our living room. We had an ornament exchange party with a hot chocolate and dessert bar. Really easy to do, and everyone gets something to put on their tree!

4. Have a home cooked Christmas dinner. We debated whether we wanted to do this Christmas Eve or Christmas day, but this year it ended up being Christmas day, and it was wonderful! Be sure to get all your ingredients before hand, and make a nice dinner for your spouse!

5. Watch your favorite Christmas movie together (or several). Zach and I have watched countless Christmas movies (A Christmas Story is one of our all time favorites). You can grab some hot chocolate, curl up in some cozy Christmas pajamas, and relax together!

There are just a very few ideas of some traditions you could start on your own. Like I said, they could be more elaborate, or really simple! The point is that you are intentionally making memories together, and that it means something to you both!

Make it a point to invest time and love into your relationship with your spouse this year. Traditions can be created any time of year, not just the holidays, and it can create a lifetime of wonderful memories ahead!

What's your favorite tradition with your sweetie?

Marriage Tip #5

Thanksgiving and this season of the year is one of my absolute favorites. A season focused on family, friends, relationships, and being thankful for what we have instead of getting caught up in the “I want, I want, I want” mentality that seems to prevail much of the year. (But don’t get me started on Black Friday, that’s a topic I could talk all too long on.)

Next week is a day set aside for families and friends to gather around a table and share a meal together. To remember what we are thankful for, and act on that. Giving thanks and living with a heart of gratitude is an incredibly important thing, and really contributes a lot to your outlook on life.

Gratitude has the power to enforce joy and contentment in our life, where as lack of gratitude can leave us with a very grim outlook and attitude towards life. And an “attitude of gratitude” can have a tremendous force in your marriage, as well.

Two words that we often may think, but might not speak to our spouses can make a world of difference. Think about it, when someone goes out of their way to tell you “thank you for….”, it makes you feel appreciated, loved and valued.

There are times where I forget to tell Zach “thank you” for doing something. It’s not that I don’t appreciate him or what he’s done, but I just forget. Lately I have tried to become more aware and more intentional about specifically thanking him for what he does for us around the house, at work, and just in life in general between us.

Hearing those words from someone you love builds you up. It makes you want to continue to be a better person every day. It lets you know that you are noticed, you are appreciated and loved.

And while we all may KNOW that, isn’t it powerful and touching to HEAR it?

Find a way to say THANK YOU to your spouse today! Maybe even make it a goal to write down one thing you are thankful for about your spouse or something they did each day before Thanksgiving and present it to your spouse before dinner. I dare you to try it and see what kind of reaction you get!

So, what are you thankful for in your spouse? Share below!

(Be sure to check out my other marriage tips.. #1, #2, #3, and #4!)

Marriage Tip #3

“Laughter is the best medicine!”

You have probably heard this quote a thousand times. Even though it is a well-worn saying, I have found it to be quite true! And even more true in marriage. Laughter is truly the best medicine in marriage.

That is my third marriage tip…Laugh together!

In our almost one year of marriage, Zach and I have found a lot of things to laugh at together. Some were fun adventures, some were hilarious stories told my each other or family members, some laughs were shared over difficult situations where there was nothing left to do but laugh and move on.

Of course there is a proper time to laugh, and a time not to laugh. I’m sure we have all been in situations that merit both responses. But, in marriage, I have seen the importance of being intentional about laughing together. Sometimes it is easy, others, it is not.

There are a lot of truly dark and negative things in our world. Stress, work, and life can get in the way of our joy and steal our ability to laugh at times. In marriage, if you don’t take the time to laugh together, it can add extra stress, or just remove the spark that was there.

Laughter is a simple, yet powerful thing.

When you intentionally set aside time to be together, play together, adventure together, and make memories, you create the opportunity and space to laugh, cry, and grow. You don’t always have to be laughing, but the important value behind laughter is the shared memory and intimacy you have with your spouse.

Laughter creates a bond. Remember some of your old inside jokes, think back on funny memories and share your favorite with your spouse. Make a date to do something together that makes you smile. Make new memories and inside jokes. Relive one of your first dates that you had together, or find a new favorite place together!

Lay off the seriousness and stress of life intentionally and find joy with your spouse! Remember that laughter is the best medicine!

What’s one thing about your spouse that makes you smile?

Marriage Tip #2

Last week I introduced a series of blogs that will continue to pop up over this next season called Marriage Tips! Today is brought to you by our second marriage tip…Date night!

If you have read some of my previous blog posts, you may have seen this pop up in there before on more than one occasion. That’s because this is something that Zach and I are really passionate about, and something that we have made a priority in our lives and in our marriage.

Let’s get something clear right away though. When I say “date night” I don’t mean that is always has to be this grand, extraordinary thing where you dress to the nines, go out to the fanciest restaurant in town and buy a hundred dollar bottle of wine. That’s a good way to go broke if you did that every week. Fancy date nights are GREAT on occasion, and really fun, too!

But when I refer to date night, I mean planning quality time and intentionally setting aside that time together, and doing something fun together!

As newly weds who are working on paying off debt and getting a good foundation set for the rest of our lives of being good stewards, we have become the masters of creatively cheap or free date nights, and let me tell you, they are just as much fun as the fancy ones, and can be really memorable!

The key with date night is the intention of it. Before you’re married, you go on dates to spend intentional, quality time together. You are learning about each other, making memories together. When you get married, you spend every day together. You’re around each other a lot. So it can feel like date night isn’t really necessary, because after all, you’re still together and doing stuff.

This is true. And if you don’t have date night, you’re not a horrible person or doomed for life. But there are great benefits for setting aside the intentional date night.

1.    It gives you something to look forward to every week. Zach and I take turns planning what our date nights will be, and swap every week. That way he gets to surprise me with his plans, and I get to surprise him.

2.    You carve out intentional, quality time and NAME IT your date night. Even if you are doing things you may already do before, when you give it a name, and you are intentional about WHAT YOU ARE DOING in that time space (aka not playing on the phone, flipping through channels or getting distracted with other things), you find that even the simple things in life are worth celebrating together.

3.    You continue to learn about your spouse. And this is so important. We are all learning and growing, especially in marriage. I don’t know about you, but I know that I have grown a TON since being married. God is teaching me something new every day. Learn about your spouse, and grow with them! Date night is a great way to tune in and connect with each other.

4.    It can help rekindle the flame. Having quality, intentional time together can help you reconnect in a really special way and remind you just how much you love your spouse.

5.    You get to be creative together! Having date night lets you come up with fun, creative ideas together. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite restaurant, or find a new hobby together!

6.    You protect and build your marriage. When you prioritize time with your spouse, you are demonstrating that they are important to you, and that you matter. Actions speak louder than words, and having a date night can grow your marriage in new ways, and protect harmful things from creeping in the back door.

In short, PRIORITIZE time with each other! Do whatever it takes to MAKE TIME for each other. Yes, it may be difficult when schedules are busy. But, if it is important to you, you will make time for it, just like anything else in life. Remember that your marriage is THAT important, and that your spouse is THAT important.

If you need some date night ideas, here is a link to past date night ideas that Zach and I have used!

When is YOUR date night?