We used to hang out a lot at book stores. We'd rarely buy anything but you can sit and read magazines and look at books. I've also done this with my girlfriends. We'll get a drink from Starbucks and read all the gossip magazines.

We might sometimes order a pay-per-view movie but since we have Netflix, we rarely need to do that.

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Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. ~Oscar Wilde

My dh and I have been using the free Museum Pass, at the library. It fun to see so of the old masions.

We picnic. There is something so romantic (especially when the kids are with grandma) about heading to the park, finding a secluded spot and laying on a blanket and eating dinner. I make a dinner ahead of time and pack it in my thermal pack that I take to potlucks, and we take real plates and silverware to the park and eat there on the blanket.

I don't know what it is about picnicing together, but we love it. Granted...you do have to be the outdoorsy type for this one! And don't forget the bug spray!

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Sarah

When the weather is cooler and a little less humid, we like to drive into New Orleans and site-see. We have favorite spots we like to see, and we always seem to find something new to explore. Instead of paying the big bucks to ride the steam boats, we ride the free ferry across the river...you get a beautiful view of the city skyline, especially at dusk.

For now, our pets are our babies!

We have two rat terriers. We take them to the park for ball (only a short walk from home) or we drive to the beach (Lake Michigan) and spend hours walking and letting the dogs swim and chase rocks up and down the sand dunes, or we go hiking. We have trails ranging from 1/4 mile to 12 miles - these activities are fun, healthy and free for all of us, and DH and I love to spend the quiet time together.

Not everybody is lucky enough to have this option, but we do.

Picnic at the beach and then a walk on the beach.

It is very rare that we get to have a "date night". If we have a babysitter like my parents or inlaws, we go out for dinner and a movie. If we don't have a sitter, we watch a movie from our Blockbuster Online Que, DH makes popcorn, and I get a well deserved foot massage from DH during the movie. If I put my feet on his lap he will unconsciously start to rub my feet .

Sandra

Sometimes we go to the bookstore and browse and end with a cup of coffee and share a dessert. Other times, we go to a half-price movie (no snacks, though). I usually barter for babysitting. If we want to eat a meal out, it's usually breakfast. And I get regular Beaners coupons from their email reward system (BOGO).

like many others have said, it's a treat to be alone together after your children are in bed. I've recently taken a part time job and have school that keeps me aways from my husband at least 4 evenings a week, so getting to eat dinner with him makes me happy.

Our "date night" is Sunday night. We get a movie from the library (we take turns picking it) & then try a new kind of drink. Sometimes it's a mixed drink, sometimes a different kind of wine or beer. The only cost is whatever we need for the drinks. The only downside is that the alcohol has made me sleepy a couple of times, and I fell asleep before the movie ended .

This is a take off from what we'd do before we had kids. Then on Wednesday nights we'd cook a new recipe together & then watch a movie. It isn't practical for us to cook together now, since someone has to corral the kids, so we came up with the drink idea.

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Erin, aka Quentinsmommy, mom to Quentin (1/03) and Ian (1/06)