Date nights!

While we were in San Diego (our first trip or overnight anything sans kids since Harvey was born), we re-realized how much fun we have together and how nice it is to just be us for a bit. And we realized we really haven't been going on dates at all either. So we made a deal that we were going to start planning ahead, getting babysitters well in advance and going on two dates a month. One planned by me and one by Tanner. So we each could pick anything and go anywhere without the whaddya wanna do debate and exposing each other to new things that we might not otherwise do or try. I think the only ground rule we really laid was that we couldn't scoff at the idea or say we didn't want to do what the other person planned.

Tanner got the first date and chose a traeger cooking class. At first I wasn't sure about it (I didn't SAY that though! Wasn't going to break any rules right off the bat). I just figured that he was the grilling/smoking man and I didn't know if I was going to like it. Wrong-o! Holy crap it was SO much fun! One of our friends ended up coming too and he's really cool. We learned how to master chicken thighs, ribs, brisket and pork butt, and got to try all of the above. We sat pretty close to the front (highly recommended if you ever go to one) and got seconds on everything so it really turned out to be a DELICIOUS dinner and super fascinating too. They had the fanciest of meats and she made steak with a compound butter that we got to eat as well which was INCREDIBLE. Seriously. I was just baffled by the flavors and taste of everything. Tanner had already been to a class by a different teacher but he loved it because he learned a lot of stuff still and the food...and company, duh! He is getting pretty good at all of those specialties (still need to do a pork butt though).

Diva Q

And of course I took pictures of all the food, cause that's what I do.

My mom had come up to watch the kids for us and sent us these cute pics while we were gone. So nice to get away but still always love seeing happy, good, cute kids!

Next pick was me. I chose to eat at Moochie's Meatballs downtown. I'm sure Tanner won't appreciate me posting messy food pics but I think he's handsome...and man...that meatball sub was GOOD! I'm a sucker for a reuben so that's what I got and it was awesome too. Then we did the gallery stroll downtown. I used to do that with college friends a bunch back in the day and thought it would be fun. But it kind of turned out dumb - we only hit up a few galleries (some were closed for private stuff and some were small and some were far away from our walking), BUT the weather was awesome, wandering downtown was fun AND it was good quality time together :) We stopped and got cheesecake factory dessert and sat and stuffed ourselves with that for a bit and wandered around City Creek. Not exactly what I had envisioned but still turned out perfect and lots of fun!

Mapping out the spots

Probably next time we could share one and be ok :)

I think we might have missed one date in there somewhere because the next one's I have pictures of was my pick too. I wanted to maybe do a hike but I'm not so fit or full of energy so we ended up going to a park in Ogden and eating a picnic lunch I made and playing games, which Tanner beat me at all of them, which he always does. And it's annoying but I'm learning to deal with it. I loved this date. It was relaxing and fun and felt like we were dating again instead of old married couple with kids.

Tonight we are going golfing at Swan Lakes. Maybe I'll remember to add the pics later :)