The Date Box

Has it ever happened to you? A rare date night (or morning or afternoon) rolls around, you grab your partner, kiss your kiddos, head out the door and then … you scramble for something to do?

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Not sure, what do you want to do?”

“Mmmm…”

  …

Enter the Date Box.

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Filled with 52 cards of interesting, fun, adventurous and/or romantic things to do, a few gift cards and a handful of great “babysitting coupons”, the Date Box is a springboard for quality time.

I created this for my busy husband for Christmas (thanks for the idea, fellow MOD Mom, Lisa!). And so far, when we’ve been able to find the time, we’ve enjoyed the way that it encourages us to try new things.

Some of the cards are simple (bowling, mini golf, hikes, and trail runs). Some require advanced planning and a few mouse clicks or phone calls (lectures and exhibits at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Fiske Planetarium shows, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival). Some are more active (rock climbing, scuba session, Unser Go Kart Racing). Some are free (sunset picnic at Chautauqua, walk around Harper Lake, stargazing). And some include our favorite standbys (Por Winehouse, Bittersweet, the Tattered Cover, and Barnes and Noble).

I’m a bit nerdy, so, my definition of interesting and romantic might not be your cup of tea, but that’s just it … a box like this can be tailor made for you and your loved one.

In fact, I like the concept so much, I’m making one for the kiddo.

What are some ideas for your date box?

 

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Gratitude and MOD Mom-ing Parenthood

Leaves. Big piles of them, scattered around my yard in heaps of reds, yellows and browns. We meant to bag them, but little Wolf is having too much fun. Rake in hand, I watch my now 5-year-old with a lump in my throat. Where has the time gone already? The days can be so very long sometimes, but these years, they are short.

Gleefully shrieking, my kiddo chases the neighbor’s fluffy grey kitten in a wild rumpus: jumping, hiding, darting under, over and through the crunching leaves of our maple, cottonwood and honey locust trees. I find them everywhere these days. Leaves are smooshed into my carpet, hanging on my refrigerator, even piled inside of my re-usable shopping bags.

But I don’t begrudge them, they are a reminder of how quickly the seasons of our lives are changing and a reminder to be grateful. These piles of leaves remind me that through these five years of parenthood, I have been surrounded by an amazing tribe of other people who have helped make my everyday journey brighter, more vivid and so much richer. I consider myself deeply blessed that in addition to dear friends and family (near and far), I found this group — MOD Moms.

To be honest, though, MOD Moms found me. We met at a local Starbucks on a hot summer day late in my pregnancy. With an iced decaf something in my hand, I bumped right into the woman who built the tribe that has become such a significant part of my life. We chatted, she raved about her moms group and I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have time for that kind of thing. I had moved here recently and was commuting to Fort Collins to a job that I loved. No, I didn’t quite have childcare or meal trains or any of that stuff lined up yet. No, I didn’t really know any other parents in the area yet — but it would all happen soon. She smiled and handed me her card, just in case.

Months later, the complicated realities of loving, caring for and nurturing a tiny person overwhelmed me. How did other moms do this? I reached out to parent friends online and I rummaged for that MOD Moms business card. For someone like me, who has never been good at asking for, or accepting help, the group has been revolutionary. A lesson in interdependence. From a ready-built online community full of folks with helpful advice (vital to me when my infant struggled with a milk protein intolerance and projectile vomited each time he ate), to play groups which helped this kind of shy girl meet new people and helped my sweet, introverted child make wonderful friends, to the regular activities, parties, moms’ nights out, as well as the amazing support for families via meal trains and care trains.

It’s so integrated in my life these days, such a part of our daily lexicon, that I often take MOD Moms for granted. It’s easy to forget that this group isn’t something that just sprang out of the ground. Rather it has been lovingly built and tended by a dedicated network of volunteers who deeply believe in the value of a strong community for parents. And for that, I am grateful.

Last weekend, I really appreciated that community. My husband had been traveling all week for an important conference, and the little guy had been under the weather. My work was piling up and my energy was waning. At our house, my spouse is the fun one — and I like it that way just fine. He puts up the decorations for every holiday and makes everyone go out and admire them, he drives the joy and spirit for our celebrations. I generally tag along for the ride and bake the treats. By Sunday, when Wolf’s sniffles subsided, he was really ready for Halloween fun, and I am very thankful that MOD Moms had my back in a serious way: Trunk-or-Treat.

We didn’t build a trunk, I couldn’t rally that much … but we did bring some donations. And we had a blast. An honest-to-goodness blast. Holiday fun. Memorable fun. Dressed up fun (I even wore a partial costume) — at the tail end of a long week when I really just felt like phoning it in.

Thanks, MOD Moms for helping me pull that off. Thanks MOD Moms for helping me build so many other memories through the years.

Thanks for helping me slow down, enjoy the seasons, and savor my leaf piles.

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