30 Date Ideas

St. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and we all decided to help you out a little bit. This holiday tends to be vastly commercialized, but even if you don't believe in going extreme with all the materialization of it, you can still have some fun. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using this day to show that special someone how much you love them in a way you may not necessarily do every day. It doesn't have to be big and fancy, or even purchased! 

We all put our heads together and compiled a list of date ideas that may help you decide how to spend the day. Or any day, for that matter!

Some of you may say that you don't have the extra money to go out right now or to spend on a babysitter. This list has many ideas that range from no cost, cheap, warm weather, cold weather, you can choose to include the kids or take the time to "get away". You choose and alter them to your satisfaction to match what fits your budget.

1. Chopped Challenge- (Have you ever been as addicted to this Food Network show as much as we have been?) You both go to the grocery store and separate. Each choose 2-3 random ingredients (be sure to get 2 sets of each) and get them home. When at home, separate the ingredients so you each have the exact same thing to work with. Start a timer for 1 hour and begin! Make whatever you can think of, in any way you can, in the set amount of time using all of the ingredients and anything available in your fridge or pantry. Once the timer goes off, it's time to stop and taste!

2. Living room Fort- Be a kid again! Pull out a pile of pillows and blankets and make the biggest, baddest fort in your living room. Once it is made, get creative. Make some popcorn and enjoy a movie, or make a "picnic lunch" and talk about when you were kids.

3. Ice Skating & Hot Cocoa- Pour some hot cocoa in a travel mug to enjoy at the rink. If you don't have skates, take a walk together around the pond. Just be sure to keep each other warm!

4. Local Arts Theatre (Plays & Pottery)- Do you have a local performing arts theatre? If you do, there's a good chance they offer services you never knew about! Not only does our local theatre have some pretty fun plays and musicals, they also have one night a week set up for pottery classes! And it's less than $10 (all supplies included!) per person. Now that's a good deal on a new experience! Besides, who doesn't like getting dirty with their spouse?

5. Coffee & Window Shopping- Indulge in your favorite cup of joe at a coffee shop and go window shopping. This is a fun chance to be silly and also learn some things about your significant other's tastes that you may have never known before. 

6. Cuddle under the Stars- Okay, obviously where we live, right now is not "star gazing" weather, but I love this in the summer time! Grab a pillow and blanket and cozy up together under the stars. Even better, if you own a truck, fill the bed with a pile of of blankets and pillows so you have a plush and cozy bed. You'll want to move outside permanently.

7. Local Sports Event- If either one of you likes sports, check your local high school or college for a calendar of sporting events. A lot of times it's as little as $3 to get in (sometimes free!) and popcorn is a yummy and inexpensive snack if you've got the munchies. Root for the home team!

8. Picnic at a Park- What's more relaxing than sitting under the shade of a large tree with the person you love, enjoying a nice lunch. Pack a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bring along some wine and cheese!

9. Grill at Home with a Bottle of Wine- How many women would argue that it's sexy watching your man cook? Pop the cork on a bottle of wine and serve your man while he grills up a flavorful dinner.

10. Go to a Professional Sports Game- Basketball, Hockey, Football...dress up in your team's gear and make a day of it. Say yes to face painting and shouting!

11. Karaoke Bar- Has your significant other ever seen you really let loose? This could be really fun for you to have some laughs and just enjoy the crazy side (and maybe embarrassing side) of your date!

12. Laser Tag or Mini Golf- Find a mini golf course or laser tag arena near you and show each other what you can do. Team up to blast opponents or be the first to get a hole-in-one!

13. Order in, Watch a Movie, Give Each Other Massages- Who can say no to their favorite take out, a movie, and finishing off with a massage?! I don't think there is anything else to say to make this date sound good.

14. Make a Fan Fort, Have Popcorn, Bed & Talk- Find as many bed sheets as you can and build a stable tent using clothespins to hold them together. Place box fans inside and you have your very own bubble fan fort! Build a bed inside, pop some popcorn and chat your worries away.

15. Wine Night & Cribbage- We have an aunt that always says "the secret to a happy marriage is a bottle of Sailor Jerry's and a cribbage board". She may have a point there. Cribbage is a great game in itself, but throw in some wine or a couple of beers and you'll be surprised at how much fun you'll have. This would also make a fun double date since you can play cribbage with 4 people as well.

16. Bowling- You don't have to belong to a bowling team to play the lanes. Go shine up a ball and knock those pins down! Order a pizza or burgers and enjoy a couple beers while you're tallying up those scores.

17. Walk at a State Park- If you can't find a state park near you, look for bike trails or quarry parks. Explore new places! Who knows...you may find your new favorite "get away" spot.

18. Cook Together- Plan your favorite meal, or something completely new, and cook together. Make sure you remember to wear your apron...it might get messy.

19. Wine & Cheese Tasting for Two- If you have a little extra cash, pick up a couple bottles of wine and a few blocks of good quality cheese. Sip & savor and enjoy the good company!

20. Massages with Quality Oils- There are many places you can buy scented massage oils, including online, that would make this date smell, and obviously feel, amazing!

21. Movie & Dinner- You can never go wrong with the basic dinner and a movie! Find a theatre with arm rests that raise to make watching the movie even more snugly.

22. Hotel Stay with Dinner & Massages- If you have the extra money for a hotel, but no time to travel, stay at a local hotel. See if you can get a deal on a whirlpool suite and splurge on a fancy dinner and massages. Or you can stick with room service and lock yourselves in...

23. Shopping Splurge- Take this time to indulge yourself. You each get to splurge on one thing you normally wouldn't spend on yourself!

24. Visit a Zoo- Most zoos are open year round. They may have less animals available to see during the colder months, but you can still have a great time. Maybe you'll learn that your husband's favorite animals at the zoo are not the lions, tigers, or bears, but the prairie dogs. Yes, it's happened!

25. Golf Course- There are many courses that are open to the public and usually you can find good deals on golfing for two and even getting a cart! If you don't have your own clubs, they will sometimes have a set for you to use for free or for a small fee. Take the time for him to teach you positions and assist you with your golf swing!

26. Drive In Movie- We know there aren't many drive in theatres remaining nowadays, but if you're lucky enough to live near one, take advantage of it! Grab some blankets (and maybe some bug spray) and spoon under the stars while watching a classic film! If you don't live near one, build your own backyard theatre! Pop some popcorn, build your bed, and hang a large white sheet against a building. Use a projector to create your own drive in right at home!

27. Art Museum- Modern, eclectic, painting, sculpture...there are many different types of art! Find an art museum near you and soak up all the talent! When you're done there, don't wait too long to seek out a science museum next! 

28. Local Museum- You'd be surprised how many museums are around you! Even small towns have museums containing all the local history of the surrounding land. Take a tour and experience the history of generations before you.

29. Take a Tour- Are there wineries, breweries, or even bakeries near you? Seek one out and ask for a tour! Many tours also include sampling, so you can choose something you like and take it home to reminisce about the experience while sharing your favorite part of the tour.

30. Amusement Park- Flash back to your teenage years and go have some fun! Get some cotton candy or slushies and take a ride on the ferris wheel with your love. Be daring and ride the biggest roller coaster and hold onto that love of yours for dear life!

We all hope you enjoy the time with your special someone! Remember, even if you're married, don't ever stop dating each other!

Kool-Aid Taffy

Today was a total Girls Day! Unfortunately a few of the sisters weren't able to make it, but it was still very enjoyable. Amongst the activities today was taffy pulling. The little girls decided on grape flavor, but we were discussing later that it would be awesome to try a strawberry or fruit punch flavor and twist it with a lemonade taffy. So many options! Although taffy seems a little tricky, as long as you have a candy thermometer and follow the directions, you shouldn't have too much trouble. If it doesn't work the first time, don't give up. It's worth it! 

Before beginning, grease a large pan with butter. (We used 2 9x13 glass pans.)

In a med-large pot, mix sugar and cornstarch well. Add corn syrup, water, butter, and salt and stir well.

Slowly heat until butter is melted.

Turn to medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. 

Once it's boiling, stop stirring and place your candy thermometer in position.

Let boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250 degrees. (Make sure it's exactly 250 degrees. If it's below, it won't set and if it's higher, it will get too hard.)

 Once it reaches 250 degrees, remove from heat and carefully, but thoroughly, stir in vanilla and Kool-Aid.

Pour into prepared pans and let cool slightly.

You only want to let it rest until it's cool enough to handle. Try not to let it sit more than 15 minutes.

With your hands slightly buttered, lift taffy out of pan and begin pulling. 

 Stretch and pull until taffy until it's smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. The color will turn to a much lighter shade than what you began with.

 When ready, pull into a long rope and cut into bite sized pieces with a buttered knife.

 Using small squares of waxed paper, roll up the taffy and twist the ends.

Store in an airtight container.

*Recipe is an adaptation from Cook'n

Ingredients

2 1/2 c. sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 c. light corn syrup

1 1/3 c. water, room temperature

2 Tbsp. butter, softened 

1 tsp. salt

3 packets (6g each) unsweetend drink mix {like Kool-Aid}

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Before beginning, grease a large pan with butter. (We used 2 9x13 glass pans.)

In a med-large pot, mix sugar and cornstarch well. Add corn syrup, water, butter, and salt and stir well.

Slowly heat until butter is melted.

Turn to medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. 

Once it's boiling, stop stirring and place your candy thermometer in position.

Let boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250 degrees. (Make sure it's exactly 250 degrees. If it's below, it won't set and if it's higher, it will get too hard.)

Once it reaches 250 degrees, remove from heat and carefully, but thoroughly, stir in vanilla and Kool-Aid.

Pour into prepared pans and let cool slightly.

You only want to let it rest until it's cool enough to handle. Try not to let it sit more than 15 minutes.

With your hands slightly buttered, lift taffy out of pan and begin pulling. 

Stretch and pull until taffy until it's smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. The color will turn to a much lighter shade than what you began with.

When ready, pull into a long rope and cut into bite sized pieces with a buttered knife.

Using small squares of waxed paper, roll up the taffy and twist the ends.

Store in an airtight container.

Strawberry Cereal Bars

I made no-bake granola bars this week and they are almost gone already (and I only ate one)! I have to admit, it's very nice having them presliced and wrapped up for Tony to grab. Plus, they are way cheaper than buying granola bars from the store, especially considering how quickly he goes through them.

We both really like the cereal bars with strawberries. Well, apparently they are actually bits of cranberries flavored to taste like strawberries. Who knew? Anyway, Aldi has cereal that is similar to Special K and has real dried strawberries. I decided to make some bars with that and they turned out great! They are soft and gooey like rice krispie bars, but have a whole twist on the flavor similar to the Special K cereal bars. 

Don't they look yummy!? And, believe it or not, this is all you need!

Prepare cereal by squeezing the bag lightly to break the flakes and strawberry pieces up (don't crush too much).

In a med-large pot, melt butter on low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until melted.

Add marshmallow mixture to the cereal and stir well.

Working quickly, press the mixture into the prepared 9x13 pan and press down firmly and evenly. (May need to "butter up" your hands so it doesn't stick to you.)

Let cool completely before serving.

 You can let them stay, covered, in the pan or you can slice them up into bars and wrap in plastic wrap.

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) box cereal flakes with strawberries {about 6 cups}

1 (10 oz) bag marshmallows

3 Tbsp butter

Directions

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with butter.

Prepare cereal by squeezing the bag lightly to break the flakes and strawberry pieces up (don't crush too much).

In a med-large pot, melt butter on low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until melted.

Add marshmallow mixture to the cereal and stir well.

Working quickly, press the mixture into the prepared 9x13 pan and press down firmly and evenly. (May need to "butter up" your hands so it doesn't stick to you.)

Let cool completely before serving.

You can let them stay, covered, in the pan or you can slice them up into bars and wrap in plastic wrap.

DIY Make-up Remover Wipes

Do any of you buy make-up remover wipes? I used to buy the wipes years ago, but haven't for quite some time. They weren't cheap to begin with and then they would always dry out before I got to the last ones.

I starting making my own liquid make-up remover awhile back and I will never buy store-bought again, but I found so many different "recipes" for make-up remover wipes and I thought I would give it a shot. 

If you know me well, you know that I'm not a huge fan of washing my face. I know, I know..."that's so gross"... I agree, but it just seems like such a hassle all the time. After making these, I'm actually washing my face in the middle of the afternoon, just because I want to. That's pretty impressive. 

Start with good quality paper towels. I used Viva, but I've heard Bounty works well, too. Get a container that the towels will fit in. (I bought these separately and my container ended up being too small so I had to swap it with a different one at the end.)

Measure out 1 cup of very warm water. I used warm so that the coconut oil would liquidate well.

Add 2 Tbsp. coconut oil and 1-1 1/2 Tbsp. of your favorite face wash or baby wash. Stir well.

(I used the face wash I had on hand, but it would be nice to use a natural/organic one so that you know exactly what is in it.)

Cut off about 1/4 of the roll and (keeping the cardboard center in the middle!) place it in your container. Close the container and flip upside down. Let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes. Flip it right side up and remove the cardboard center. 

You're done!

(If you want your wipes to come in larger sheets, you can certainly double the amount of water and ingredients and just cut the paper towel roll in half.)

Hawaiian Smoothie

Being in the mood for something refreshing, I decided to use up the pineapple I bought this week for a nice summery smoothie for breakfast. It's been so cold lately that it seems appropriate to start looking forward to the hot summer sun. I'm actually not a huge fan of the heat. I would take some cozy, cold weather any day over the humid summer heat, but I know I'm almost alone on that preference.

We got one of those individual "bullet" type blenders from Tony's parents for Christmas and it's been so nice to be able to whip up some fruit and yogurt when we're craving something sweet! This one is simple and easily customizable if you don't like these fruit choices. That's the nice thing about smoothies. You can change them up SO many ways!

Ingredients

1 c. fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 small banana

1/4 c. frozen strawberries

1/2 c. Greek yogurt (I used my crock pot yogurt)

1/4 c. orange juice

dash of vanilla extract

1-3 tsp. honey (depending on how sweet you like it)

ice

Directions

Blend all ingredients, except ice, in blender. Taste to see if you want to add any more of anything. Then add some ice and blend to get desired texture. (We like ours thick enough to not taste like straight juice, but thin enough not to get stuck in the straw.)

DIY Goo-Gone/Gunk Remover

Am I the only person that ever tries to reuse jars, but has a hard time getting all the gunk off from the labels? I'm assuming not, but if I am, I'm still okay with that. You may be able to use this for a different purpose. It always seems, at one time or another, you find sticky gunk trying to fight you.

Measure your ingredients.

Mix well. (The texture should be similar to grainy toothpaste. You may need to add a little more baking soda if it's too runny, or coconut oil if it's too thick.)
Keep in mind that coconut oil is liquid when warm and solid when cold.

Store in an airtight container so it's ready to use when you need it.

Ingredients

1 part coconut oil

3 parts baking soda

Directions

Mix ingredients well and apply to the gunk. 

Let sit approximately 3-5 minutes. 

Take a scrubby or scratchpad and scrub. 

Rinse. 

That’s it! Your goo will be gone! 

(For really tough goo, you may need to reapply as needed. I did 3 jars though, and not one needed an extra application.)

Baby Memory Frame

My nephew is getting baptised tonight and I needed to get a gift for him. I wasn't sure what to get and decided early this week to do a little wall hanging for his room. I had an old shadow box type frame, but it had some text painted on it. Using a straight blade razor, I scraped the paint off, being careful not to scratch the glass.

 I wasn't able to remove the glass so I taped it off with some wax paper on both sides and spray painted the frame and insert with black spray paint.

 Using Microsoft Word, I printed the details of his birth.

Printed a picture of him...isn't he cute?!?!

Then finished it off by putting it all together! Since it is a shadow box, my sister will be able to put his hospital bracelet or any other sentimental items right in the frame with it.