I just have to share this "Home Date" idea because it was such a GREAT idea. 

 

My dh works retail and from now until after Christmas it is well -- 'tis the season (to NOT be jolly because hours are long, people are mean and the store is crazy).  He calls home last night (he usually works nights and he is finally working some daytime hours) and he is checking to see if I need anything (in other words - "I'm really hungry.  I've had a hard day and if you didn't cook, I don't want to cook either so do I need to stop and pick up something?" -- No, this is not a nightly event but the kids have be soooo disobedient lately that actually feeding them meals is going to start turning into a privilege!! ~ maybe).  I tell him, "No, I don't need anything just come on home.  I've got something started", then I turn to my boys and tell them that papa's on his way home and he has had a really hard day, then I ask, "What can we do to make it better for him?". 

 

They start running around picking up the house and then they decide that he needs a massage so they start gathering things to give him a massage when he walks in the door.  It was hysterical!  They ask me to make a cold drink and get the pretzels.  They argue over what sort of music should be playing.  They decide that my lotion smells too girly and they get out the tiger balm -- I guess real men smell like Tigers!   They have everything ready for him when he walks in the door including lit candles around the room. 

 

Now, I don't know how good of a massage he got (because they were giggling, then arguing over who should do what to their poor dad and then eating pretzels) but the memory of it for my dh and the boys was worth it and I think that it will help them to see that "dates" with their future wives are about doing what someone else needs and that home dates don't have to be elaborate. 

 

Oh and I'm sure my dh enjoyed it because he slept soooo good last night -- I know because he snored all night!       

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