I am thrilled to be partnering with Durango Boots as they sponsored this post. These are my honest insights about life and the role amazing boots can play in simple date ideas that bring the fun back!
Dating is an endeavor that can be fun yet nerve racking at times, especially if you are meeting someone new. Today I want to share the value and fun that can be had as we CONTINUE to date our spouses! I have been dating the love of my life for 20 YEARS! Can you believe it? I am excited to share 10 Simple Date Ideas that Bring the Fun Back and a few other secrets to making date time the best you have ever had.
Often people are shocked when I say that my sweet husband and I have been together for 20 YEARS. We started dating as kids. (I say that now because I suppose I’m getting old. Actually, I must just be slightly vintage and worth keeping? HA.)
It was the Summer of many years ago and I was 15. I had been watching this cute baseball player from a far through my freshman year in high school. He was funny, had a great smile, was likable by most, an amazing athlete and handsome to boot! I will never forget the June day and official beginning of Summer when we started our relationship.
Twenty years later, 3 beautiful children, a farm, dreams developing, trials and joys shared and a bouquet of roses on our anniversaries  with a new rose added for each year of marriage. Its been a blessing, a wild ride and at times a challenge.
One of our secrets to relationship success and adding fun in our lives together is DATING.Â
There is something to be said about continuing to dress up and impress your loved one. We still enjoy getting ready and looking nice for each other.I am determined to do this even until I am old and gray!
My outfit is inspired by Durango boots. I have been a fan of Durango boots for over a year now. My love for these boots first started because I needed some comfortable work boots to wear around Simple Acres because of all the dirt and sage brush. I was thrilled to find that Durango also offers boots for going out on the town on dates and fun. There are endless boot styles and even accessories they have to offer.
Back to our secret ingredient for relationship fun, DATING!
This year marked 10 years dating and 10 years married. This anniversary was the best yet, all because of a date that brought back the fun!
With children and life’s busyness it is easy to lose the fun connection dating offers. See below for dates ideas we have done and a few more we are excited to do together in the future!
10 Simple Date Ideas to Bring Back the Fun
- Road tripping. This does not have to be a complex and expensive endeavor. Road tripping for us can be as simple as a quick visit to  a near by quaint town just under an hour away. We also enjoy planning a quick weekend away to a larger city. Heck this could be just jumping in the car and finding a hill to park on and watch a sunset together. The secret to this idea is the quality time this offers to visit and connect in the car and the adventure shared in a change of scenery.
- Surprise dates. Take turns planning and surprising your loved one with a fun get away together, delicious meal or relaxing form of entertainment. My husband surprised me this year with a day date to the mountains and some small town vintage shopping, lunch and wine tasting.  What this idea does is show your loved one how much you “get” them, value and love them. The best ever friends! You can tell by my giddy ridiculous smile as we posed together and showed off more of our favorite Durango boots. I wore these on our day date in the mountains and they transitioned great for strolling the town dining and shopping.
- Staycation. My mama friends will definitely relate to this one! A day of rest even just a morning to sleep in and have breakfast in bed is pure bliss to those of us with young kids who feel sleep deprived for 5 years straight! To pull this one off we arrange a sleep over with grandparents for the kiddos. This allows us to enjoy some simple, free and AMAZING peace, quiet and solitude!
- Share in each others hobbies. My husband has been amazing at taking pictures with me and humoring my crazy whims. I definitely need to work harder on this one. I have enjoyed feeding the cows, learning how to vaccinate calves and I am striving to take in more little by little of the farm life that is a new venture for me personally. Whether it be getting more involved with each others passions at home or planning a date out sharing in each others hobbies is rewarding and fun! Â Going fishing, hunting, shopping, listening to music or watching a game together are just a few ideas of hobbies and interests that could be shared.
- Have a picnic. Whether you pack food from home or pick food up to go, enjoying a meal together somewhere peaceful is the point of this date idea. Enjoying each others company in solitude is the key to this date idea. What makes it fun is if you can surprise your spouse with this idea. Who doesn’t love yummy food and to eat!? When we first were married I would come and bring lunch to my husband at work picnic style. He just happened to work in parks which made this date simple yet thoughtful.
- Late night “escape”. Once the kids are down for bed and the house is calm and quite this is a great time to have a little date right at home. Often we will enjoy yummy snacks and watch a movie or our favorite show. This could even be a fancier dinner by candle light once the kids are tucked “snug as a bug in a rug”.
- Get creative together. Find a local pottery shop or art studio and have fun creating something fun together. A platter you paint together to use for the holidays or a piece of art you hang in your home are ideas of projects that would always remind you of that special date. If art isn’t your thing but you love projects, redesigning a room together, refurbishing a car or building a playhouse for the kids could be fun project for you to enjoy together.
- Get daring. This varies and is unique for different people. This may be going zip-lining in the trees of Hawaii (we did that on our honeymoon, AMAZING), bungee jumping, riding mountain bikes down a volcano (this was a blast too), snorkeling in the ocean, taking a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon or commemorating your memories, love and fun in a permanent way (we have tattoos we got together).
- Stay local. Take advantage of what local entertainment you have in a few hour radius. We have cities, quaint towns, mountains, hot air balloon festivals, fairs, wine tasting, unique cuisine, apple and berry picking at orchards and camping near us. The challenge and fun is trying new things and getting creative.
- Try new things together. One time we went to a karate class together for a date. It was fun and full of laughs as we kicked each others booties! When we were kids we went to an old water hole and had fun jumping in from fun heights. We have rode our first roller coasters together. The list could go on and on from these paste 20 years. Experiencing the butterflies together and the laughs afterward are memories I will never forget. Have you heard of the date idea of going thrift shopping finding the most funny out of date attire then going bowling or to dinner in THAT? What a hoot, right? That is on my bucket list for sure.
Dating encourages you to continue experiencing life and love together. This is a secret to long lasting love. So I encourage you to make a bucket list of date ideas to enjoy with your spouse. Write these down and start planning!
While you are at, check out Durango boots! No other boot has been as comfortable and versatile as theirs for me. Whether you want to go out on the town and want a boot you can dress up such as my  Crush by Durango Tribal Western Boot  or you want a boot that looks great in work, play or a day date such as my  teal Lady Rebel by Durango Bar None boots, you will not be disappointed. My whole family loves their boots ask my husband who wears his Rebel by Durango Crossed Guns Western boots or all my kids who wear their boots almost everyday no matter what they are wearing or doing.
Follow our lives and love for all things country on our Instagram.
That’s all for now my friends! Keep the love alive with simple date ideas that bring back the fun! It’s an attitude. Be confident. Dovidenia. XO
