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Saturday, July 21, 2012

River Walk

We made it!
 I now live in BOSTON!
We still have a lot of unpacking to do and need to figure out where things are, but we are here.
And safe.
And missing friends....
Anyways,

Neither Hubby nor I have ever been here before so we have a lot of exploring to do. 
To kick off our Boston dates, we decided to take a stroll along the Charles River.


There is this great walking trail by our apartment complete with hundreds of geese and ducks. 
It was a perfect day for a walk like this! We did lots of exploring, talking and making silly faces for the camera. 

After some flexing and karate kicks, we fed the geese some bread and headed home. 


Taking a walk is a fantastic date because
1. Its FREE!
2. You get in some exercise - which is always a bonus
3. Plenty of time to chat and enjoy the view
4. It's a great way to explore a new neighborhood

Stay tuned for some more dates from the Boston area!

Happy Dating!




Friday, July 6, 2012

Photo Shoot

For our date today, we had a little family photo shoot!
My wonderful neighbor from Something Swanky took them for us.

 While we were up there it started raining! We had to pack up everything and go sooner than we expected but it was still fun to get some pictures with my two favorite people.
We even took some in the rain just for kicks and giggles. 


I have to be honest here people. When Hubby and I look in the mirror, I don't think we are an ugly couple....
But whenever I see a camera, something happens. 
I don't know what it is.
My eyes shrink, my cheeks triple in size and don't even get me started on my thighs.
Apparently, I don't know how to smile either. 
Anyways, lets just say pictures can be deceiving. 
At least thats what I am telling myself. 



But on a completely different note, this date is totally FREE!
Just grab some props from home, and a friend to take the photos.


Pinterest is crawling with photography ideas that I just love.
Hubby wasn't too excited about a lot of them but I did convince him to do a few. 
Before your shoot, find a few poses that you want to try. 
Or have an awesome photographer who will help you create them like we did!
Thanks Ashton!


A few posts ago I mentioned that we are moving. 
Now that we have an apartment all ready to go, I think its safe to announce the location on the blog.
We are moving to BOSTON!
I am so excited! 
And sad.
Our whole life together has been here in Virginia. 
We met here.
Dated here.
Had our baby here.
Have amazing friends here.
Virginia really is for lovers.
But I am so excited to start a new adventure in Boston! I am sure that there will be tons of opportunities for FREE dates up there. I have never been so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know!


Wish us luck on our move!
I may have a few more posts from Virginia but look forward to dates from the Boston area in a couple weeks!

Happy Dating!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Romance Spotlight: Camille

Hello everyone and welcome to another ROMANCE SPOTLIGHT! Camille from Friday We're in Love is here to share a FREE date with us! I'm so excited that I "met" Camille because she blogs about dating too! So be sure and stop by her blog for some awesome date night ideas!
Take it away Camille!

Hi Fridaynightdatenight readers, I'm Camille and I blog over at fridaywereinlove.blogspot.com.  Mackenzie and I connected online and realized we were kindred spirits, both out there trying to spread the love and share date ideas.  I'm thrilled to trade a post with one another!  We talked about going with the idea of free dates, and I had a recent one come to mind that I'm so happy to share!

Did you know that most cities do a free museum night or day once a month?  Seriously, call your local museum!  We tried to hit up the Arizona Science Center on First Friday when it's free, but and it just didn't happen.  We decided we'd try and go the next month, when our lovely friend clued us into culture passes.  They are passes you can check out from the library for 2 people to get free admission to a participating museum. If you go when it opens you're almost guaranteed to get the one you want.  We were thrilled to nab one to the Science Center, and decided to forgo the First Friday madness and visit on a less busy day instead.
We hit up a pizza place on our way, then it was off to get our science nerd on for one of the funnest dates we've had!

Some dates I feel like I get to play professor and tell Jacob all about the art or the literary references, but this was one date that this cute electrical/energy engineer told me about everything we looked at.  He was like a kid in a candy store with a big smile on his face at every exhibit.  He's also the hottest tour guide I've ever had!
 He decided to make me take a picture with this, making sure I was touching it.  He couldn't stop laughing.  And I had no idea there were some valuable uses for cow dung.  Now I do, with picture to prove!
Then we played with some smart windows that help save energy.  
This was followed by a lesson for me on lighting.  Jacob is the man to ask about light bulbs, he really knows his stuff and can calculate all kinds of power savings and conversions in his head, I guess doing it for a living helps quite a bit.  I sure love that I married a smart man! 
We played with many other exhibits and learned quite a bit (well, at least I did).  

 Did you know there are more bald women than women with green eyes?  I'm a rare breed!  (Okay, I probably learned that from a Rogaine commercial for women years ago, but it sounds like I should have learned it here...right?)
One of our favorites was the bed of nails.  Man physics can really be so cool!  And I'd like to shout out to one of the best teachers I've ever had, Mr. Pa'ne for teaching me the rules I still remember and letting me walk on a bed of broken glass in class.  I'll always owe my love of science to that man! 

Jacob had a helper who really wanted to push the button for him.  He's such a nice guy to hand his life over to a toddler!
But one of the reasons we REALLY wanted to go, was for the special exhibit- Van Gogh Alive.  I know, if you've ever read my blog this won't surprise you.  If not, let me introduce you to my obsession with Vincent (here or here).  I feel like I've studied him so much we're on a first name basis here.
This part wasn't exactly free, but it was really inexpensive with the culture pass and it was optional.  The exhibit is usually $25 to get in, but with a culture pass it's only $11- double score on that one!
The exhibit really is quite the experience!  Images are projected on every crevice of the room with classical music, quotes by Vincent, and animations from elements of paintings- all designed to help you get inside the mind of Van Gogh.   I was sold the second his bedroom was dissected and I felt like I was sitting inside the room.  If you want a taste of it, you can watch a video by clicking the video tab on this website.

Luckily for every one not in AZ- it's touring and hopefully will show up at your state science center soon!  

Even if you just choose the free option this is really one fun, academic date that I think any couple would enjoy.

Thanks for letting me post Mackenzie!  Happy dating everyone!

Thanks so much Camille! Loved it!
Be sure and stop by again for another ROMANCE SPOTLIGHT!

Happy Dating!

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Indoor Drive-In

Hubby and I really wanted to go to a drive-in the other night. 
Few problems though:
Our budget is non existent at the moment.
No babysitter.
It has been scorching hot and humid lately.
I mean stepping-outside-is-like-stepping-into-a-hot-shower kind of hot.

No problem!
We made an indoor drive-in at home!
Welcome to the Whiteley Drive-In!
I had most things ready before Hubby got home so when he walked up the stairs to our apartment, this is what he saw:
I used construction paper, ribbon, scissors, glue....anything and everything I had on hand.
This date didn't cost a dime!
I made a "road" street sign and stop light to keep with our vehicle theme. 
Inside is where it really got fun.
I took christmas lights and strung them on the ceiling to create "stars". 
Then I brought out a cardboard box (we have plenty of those around since we are moving in two weeks!!!) with paint, paper, tin foil and clingy wrap.
Then we went to town making our "car" to take to the drive-in.
Hubby painted doors and handles, while I made a cute little license plate ;)
We used clingy wrap for the windshield and tin foil for the side-view mirrors. 
Once we were done, we "drove-in" and watched a movie together under the "stars"!
So fun right!
This date was completely awesome because :
A. Free baby! 
B. We had complete temperature control
C. Hubby and I got to create something fun together instead of just watching a movie
Try it! 
And send me pics! 
I would love to see what kind of cars ya'll come up with. 

Stay cool and....
Happy Dating!
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

3rd Anniversary

On Saturday June 23, Hubby and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. 
3 wonderful years.


We were married in the Salt Lake City Temple for time and all eternity.
It was a beautiful, cloudless day. 
Everything was perfect.


To celebrate, we went to our favorite local ice cream shop. I got chocolate and butter pecan on a homemade chocolate dipped waffle cone. Hubby got cantaloup and banana. 
I don't know about you guys, but if I am going to get a dessert....I am going to get a dessert. 
None of this fruit nonsense. 
Sheesh.


After we put Sweet B to bed (with a sitter), we went to a beautiful spot on the river to watch the sunset. There is a tree swing that sits right off the bank with a gorgeous view. It was wonderful to spend the evening together listening to the river and watching the fire-flys surround us on the swing.


We laughed, made faces, and cursed our cheap camera that can't seem to capture anything we want it to. 
Darn it. 
Just image a gorgeous river, speckled with glowing fire-flys. 
Then imagine a big beautiful tree with a couple sitting on a swing.
And I will imagine that my waist is the size that it was 3 years ago. 
Ahem...


Happy Anniversary Hubby!
Thanks for the happiest years of my life!

Happy Dating!


Monday, June 18, 2012

Romance Spotlight: Lauryn



Hello everyone and welcome to another ROMANCE SPOTLIGHT! Lauryn from love notes by lauryn is here to share her and her hubby's story. It's super cute and I hope you take a minute to read it! Be sure to stop by her AWESOME blog too. 
Take it away Lauryn!

hello friday night date night readers!
i'm lauryn from the blog

love notes by lauryn
mackenzie asked me to post about my husband and i.
she asked me to write it a LOONG time ago.
and i never got around to it. not because i was trying to be irresponsible, 
but because i wanted to capture our story perfectly in a short amount of words.

see i have known my sweet boy for 7 years. 
out of those 7:
2.5 were spent dating
2 were spent writing letters
& for 2 years we have been married.
i could honestly write a long book about our story....
much too long for a blog post. 
so i will share our life and our love story in a very very small nutshell.
and for those of you who really don't even want the nutshell version, 
here is the story in pictures:


pull up a seat and grab some popcorn or something.
even the nutshell story is long.

high school sweethearts
michael and i met my freshman year of high school. i was 15 and he was 16.
i was often a visitor at his house.. he had the party house.
we talked, played ping pong, had water fights, drove around crazy in the car, etc.
one night as i was leaving he so casually said 
"you're not leaving without a hug"
i already was crushing on this boy. 
and now, my 15 year old self was going to get a hug from this stud!
ah, bliss.
we began to see a lot more of one another, and one night he kissed me.
i was 15.
i was horrified.
so i cried.
and broke up with him.
over text.
yes, i cried. yes i broke up with him. yes it was over text.
i'm awful i know.
i really couldn't believe i had been kissed. i felt so little!
naive little me, ruined by an innocent little peck.
so i decided it was probably a great time to go back to my old boyfriend 
who i held hands with, texted a lot, and was never alone with him.
much more comfortable for me.
by time i was a sophomore, 
i was a single girl again. ready to enjoy my high school life.
i would see cute little michael on the hill at lunch.
him with all his cool friends and pizza just hanging out in the back of a pickup truck.
gosh, he was so cool.
whatever.
i didn't even like him.
i think.
my friend one night asked me if i would ever get back together with him.
i jumped right on that.
uh, yes.
next thing i knew we were dating again! 
i loved it. it was always so much fun. 
all the time happiness.

called to serve, rochester NY
eventually, 
the time came that the boy had to leave me.
he turned 19 and it was time for him to serve the lord.
he got called to serve a mission for our church in rochester, new york.
i was completely supportive. i wanted him to do this.
but the thought of him being gone for 2 entire years-just short of the amount of time we had dated-
made me sick. sick sick sick.
i went with him to the missionary training center when he left 
(you could do that back then, now it is not permitted)
when i came home, i went right to the lovesac in our front room
and lived there.
for days.
weeks.
i was hysterical.
it was pathetic.
i couldn't believe it.
i slept with kleenex boxes and woke up to tissue crumbs.
i missed a TON of school.
no one warned me how hard this was going to be.
what had i gotten myself into.
a big freakin' mess.
that's what.
somehow i gained the composure to go back to school.
i finished out my senior year of high school and could not have done it without my bestie ky.
we had a blast.. to this day she is my best friend. i love love love her.

time for adventure
when i graduated i decided it was time for me to have some adventure.
i don't know why or where it came from, but i decided i was going to go to mexico.
i went for 4 months, stayed with an AMAZING family and taught english to sweet little kiddos.
i grew up a ton. 
i got busy enough i wasn't constantly stressing over my missionary.
i came back and was a counselor at a youth camp.
i got my first REAL job teaching preschool. (i still work there today!)
i started school at the university of utah.
and waited.

such a long wait
people told me it would get easier. it didn't.
people told me the second year was easier. it wasn't.
i still had many nights where all i wanted to do was go find my lovesac and sleep.
i needed him.
it was so so hard.
i would find myself with less tissues in the bed, 
but that didn't stop the random bursts of pain, spouts of tears, heartache.
i remember talking to ky and telling her i could actually feel pain in my heart.
every once and a while now, i will remember the pain and begin to cry.
i can not even explain how hard it was on me.
i didn't want to be one of those girls... all sappy and weird about a kid from high school.
but i totally was. i didn't care, i still don't care. 
he is my sweetie.

...but so worth it
after 2 years, and 4 days extra too!
he came home.
(i even felt relief writing that!)
i went to the airport with his family.. i was a nervous wreck!
sweating like crazy, shaking....ah.
what was i going to do.
first person of the plane.
no.
not him.
not them.
not her either.
suits?
missionaries!
michael!!
this could not be happening.
i was SO happy.
the second i saw him i knew things would work out.
i just knew it.

may 28, 2010 ...then comes marriage
and they did.
michael got home the beginning of december.
he proposed at the end of january.
we got married in the salt lake temple at the end of may.
these have been the happiest 2 years of my life.
i love my cute michael so much. 
he is absolutely amazing.
i feel 100% complete with him.
he is the only thing that can make me TRULY happy.
i am lucky lucky lucky in LOVE.

thanks mackenzie for having me.
it was so good for me to finally sit down and write our story.

♥

Thanks so much Lauryn! Loved it!
Hope you stop by again for another ROMANCE SPOTLIGHT!

Happy Dating!


Friday, June 15, 2012

S'mores Night

Have I mentioned the fact that I have awesome neighbors?
Because I do. 
True story. 

The other night as we were getting in to bed we noticed our lovely neighbors building a fire outside.
That can only mean one thing:
S'mores!
 Who doesn't love a s'mores night? It was kind of a spur-of-moment thing and one by one fellow neighbors trickled out of their apartments to join the fun. 
 It was a fantastic way to end the evening. There is nothing like gathering around a fire roasting marshmellows while watching fire-flys fill the night sky. 
Aaahhhh.....I just love Virginia. 
And my neighbors...
And date nights...

Happy Dating!
Linking up:
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