Great Dates Globe

Is there one thing you order every time you go out to eat? Have you ever thought of recreating that delicious plate at home? Decide ahead of time on a dish you and your spouse would like to recreate---get all necessary ingredients. Spend this evening in the kitchen creating together. This would probably best be done when kids are in bed or in front of a movie. I love chalupas from Taco Bell, but I wanted an alternative to it, because I was living far from a Taco Bell. I found a recipe online and got to work. I MADE MY OWN CHALUPAS and my husband also affirmed that he loves chalupas! Really, the possibilities are endless with this date night! Marriage Reconnect During this date, possibly while enjoying your copied food of choice, discuss media boundaries. John Gottman in his book, "The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work", said,                                          "I recommend that all couples establish rules of etiquette                      

Local sporting events can be a really great way to get out and enjoy some community excitement. For this date, check out the schedule for the High School or Middle School sports and head to a game! Going to a Globe-Miami Rival game would be even more of a riot than your typical Friday night game. Marriage Reconnect Option 1 for sport lovers: Talk about the sports you played---teammates, friends made, favorite sport, etc.  What sport or activity would you and your spouse like to get into together? Are there local teams or clubs you could join? Option 2 for lovers of other things: What activity do you enjoy being involved in? If you have a child that really wants to get into a sport--how are you going to support them in it, especially if it is far from your thing? (Globe Tigers!)

Oh, you didn't know there was a place to bowl in the Globe area? Well, there isn't really in the traditional sense, but this date gets you outside and doing something a little different. Some prep work is needed.  Need: A bowling ball (or 2)----these can be found at pretty much any thrift store Glow sticks 10 similar sized containers filled with water (water bottles, old soda bottles, Gatorade bottles....) great shoes (really this could just be a great addition----everyone where their "best bowling shoes") Little Caesars pizza Head to the Community Center Park or anywhere else with a stretch of flat concrete that can act as your bowling lane. Put a glow stick in each bottle and then use the rest of the glow sticks to line the sides of the "alley".  The rest is really up to you......can you even hit any of the "pins"?  Of course you will have to take turns setting up pins and bowling.  Enjoy your pizza! Marriage Reconnect

For this day date head to the Chamber of Commerce in person and say, "We only have one day to spend in the area, what should we see? Anything unique/off the beaten path?" Follow the advice and spend the day looking at the town/community with new eyes. Marriage Reconnect Since you are in a new place, pretend you are with a new person. This could be a first date...be playful. Are you confident enough to hold hands on the first date? How fun to take this person on a day date/excursion to this historic mining town. Enjoy this "fresh" relationship and see where the day takes you!

There are some great, historic inns here in downtown Globe. The Chrysocolla Inn . This Inn was once a boarding house during the turn of the century, as Globe was booming. Another unique, local inn is the Noftsger Hill Inn. This inn was once a school, therefore it boasts of spacious rooms with sitting areas and wonderful historic memorabilia.  Marriage Reconnect Enjoy your own marriage retreat here in this historic community. Just enjoy relaxing together: be it reading side by side or together on a shaded porch or garden area, learning about mining history or ghost stories, just be present and keep away from the usual topics of kids, house, work, chores, etc. 

There is so much rich history in Arizona, but to be noted, right here in the Globe area. Take a drive over to Roosevelt and explore the ruins at Tonto National Monument.   The view from the lower cliff dwelling is amazing as it overlooks Roosevelt Lake and the beautiful Arizona desert landscape. Check out the website to decide when to visit. There are often special event days at the park with free entry and other unique activities and/or presentations. Marriage Reconnect Build on the power of positivity. Throughout this date both of you share things you are grateful for in regards to the other or really anything in life. This can bring back great memories and help you and your spouse recognize the joy there is all around you.

Get creative here. You will need LOTS of popsicle sticks.......so get eating those popsicles! Actually, you better just go buy a big pack...it will save you some hassle. Spend time together on this home date designing and building your dream home using popsicle sticks and hot glue. This can be a fun way to visualize the concepts you both may dream about. Marriage Reconnect Enjoy popsicles as a sweet treat and talk about how your day went. So often we get to the point of asking, "How was your day?" and the answer is short, sweet, and really doesn't get to the point. Dive in on this question...get a play by play of each other's day. Break the surface level answer and get to know what happens in his/her world when you are apart.

STEM Fest comes around every year at the end of April. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This would be a unique date to take your spouse on. This is a great way to get out in the community on a Saturday and have fun! There is seriously something fun for all ages.  Once you're finished up here, head to Miami and stop in at Soda Pops--Old Fashioned Soda Fountain. The old time feel here is something to relish in! Marriage Reconnect Try something new--maybe enter the 5K Run together and cheer each other on--whoever is more of a runner/athlete than the other...hold back if you need to and stick with your cute partner. It will be fun to accomplish something together.

Nest down at the Copper Hen for some unique cuisine. The atmosphere is fun and the smells coming from the kitchen will make it hard to decide on what to order. There is often live music to enjoy while you experience the flavor blasts occurring in your mouth. Music is the second focus of this date night.  Marriage Reconnect    Do you and your spouse have a special song? A wedding song? Does it represent you well? Whether you do or don't, find a theme song for your relationship.  Maybe share some of your favorite music from times past. Do you have similar music tastes?  Have fun listening to different tracks and finding something that can be your go to song. Share your favorite songs from high school and middle school. This could be interesting!

NurdBerger is a great burger joint and it screams nerd! Sometimes we just need to be as confident as a nerd and that is what this date is about. How confident can you be as a couple? What is a nerdy movie or show that the two of you can agree on? Featured at the Nurdberger Cafe is Lord of The Rings, Star Wars, Pokemon, and more. The possibilities are endless. Start your date by dressing up in some way--related to something nerdy. This date is bound to bring out some laughs and you may relish in the attention or hurry home from embarrassment. Get into character and enjoy some good food! Finish the date at home watching one of your favorite nerdy movies.

One of the best dates my husband and I have done was simply to go for a run at night. We parked at a random place in town and went for a run in an area we hadn't been in before. It was fun to be out at night, exploring in a different way. After our run (also, we may or may not have walked some too.....but we stretched our abilities!), we landed ourselves on one of the walking sky bridges that extend across Ash St. Before your date, decide on what kind of picnic dinner you want to do. Going along with the theme of the date...stretching/improving, you could follow what we did, by having different fresh veggies chopped up and bring a container of ranch. You could also bring wraps or just deli meat and cheese. A healthful night! Marriage Reconnect Share with your spouse your craziest/biggest, serious/funny goals and dreams. How can your spouse help you reach your goals? Remember before you were married and the world seemed wide open before you and you were excited ab

   Wouldn't it be nice not to have to pay a babysitter every time you wanted to get out alone? There are a lot of other couples thinking the same thing. Spend this date night setting up a babysitting rotation with some other couples. Decide on a group of friends and text them to see if they are interested. Set to work figuring out details. Possibility:  First Friday of every month two of the 4-6 couples involved take a turn to watch all the kiddos while the other couples go out. Those going out can decide if they want to do a group date or disperse. You get a free date night or two for every time you "take one for the team" and handle the zoo of children.

Take a course together! There are great online courses that you can take, even at your own pace. Try something like this Doodling Course by Rad and Happy. Get creative as you work on your drawing skills together. Marriage Reconnect Don't take yourselves too seriously, you can still doodle on your page during class. Enjoy sitting next to your favorite person during class...you can even whisper to each other and you probably won't get in trouble! Compliment your spouse on this date. Compliment, compliment, compliment. You can't compliment too much and we are working on creating a habit with this one...practice! Compliment their doodling, how they hold their pen, etc. Compliment their eyes or their beautiful hands. Don't be afraid to be a little corny!

Head to Vida e Caffé   for a little coffee shop date. Even if you can't leave the kids at home, bring them along. They have a great little kid's area in the back. There is a kid's size table and you can set them up watching a movie (free WiFi!) while you and your Honey enjoy a treat together. Check out their page for Live Music nights as well! Marriage Reconnect Split a date shake--how fitting, since you are going to be on a date! You could play a board game or play two truths and a lie. Enjoy the ambiance of this fun cafe and spend time gazing into each other's eyes.

It's time to put your art skills to work. Paint rocks how ever you would like. They can be pictures, bugs, have quotes on them...endless possibilities. See if you can put some love into this activity, by dedicating a rock to marriage or something specific in regards to your love for your spouse. You can check out this link for details on what paints and seals to use for your artwork. Once your rocks are painted and ready, go out exploring and hide your rocks in any location in the community...parks, planters, side walks, etc. Be sure to write on the back of your rocks "Post a pic to Globe Rocks on FB" so that when people find your rocks they will share on the Facebook page and you will be able to see your art travel!

Seriously! There are some great windy days in the Globe area if you get up on the right hill. Head to a park and work on your kite flying skills together. Marriage Reconnect   Learn about your spouse's childhood. Ask all the questions.  What was your favorite toy? Did you like reading? When did you learn to ride a bike and who taught you? Did you take swimming lessons? what are your favorite memories of one on one time with each of your parents? etc! Discuss what memories you want to make with/for your children. It can be fun to recreate memories for our children that were special to us. This date can help you and your spouse to reconnect in a fun way, bringing a focus back to fun things that you can add to your busy lives.

Tonight your goal should be no (or minimal) dirty dishes. Staying home can sometimes feel like a punishment for date night, but dates at home can also be some of our most memorable. After the kids are in bed, it's time for dinner on the floor. You decide how messy or clean you want this meal to be, but put down a sheet or a plastic drop cloth. If you want to have some good fun, eat/serve a spaghetti dinner right on the drop cloth. Sit on the floor and eat with your hands. Marriage Reconnect Sometimes breaking out of our mundane routines and our comfort zones is just what we need to reconnect and unwind. As you go about this evening work on creating a couples bucket list. Your list can be trips, extravagant things, or even simple things like eating dinner off the floor (Check!)

Did you ever write a letter to your future self? Tonight get out the pens, paper, and envelopes. Sit down at the table with your honey and write love letters to your "future spouse". Decide on a time frame-these could be for 1, 5,  or 10 years from now.  Of course while you sit and ponder what you want to say to them that they will read in a few years you are going to want the snackage! Have an array of snacks: healthy or indulgent, but really put in the time to create something that will be meaningful. Don't be afraid to be sappy and funny!

Educate yo' selves! You live so close to the Biosphere 2 . Do you even know what this is? This is owned by the University of Arizona and is a very interesting day trip. It is a completely self-contained ecosystem. Learn all about the experiment that was held within. Could you have lived within the walls of Biosphere 2? *Check the Groupon App for discounted ticket prices! Marriage Reconnect Talk about what you think it would be like to be 'trapped' inside or in close quarters. Thinking about it, it is similar to the idea of being stranded on a small island together. How could you better enjoy each other's company if life were so much simpler (imagine a sort of Adam and Eve scenario), as it would have been in Biosphere 2?

One weekend in April every year is Miami Loco Music & Arts Festival. There is fun to be had all weekend long. Music, dancing, art shows, poetry readings under the bridge, and on and on! There is something for everyone on this weekend in downtown Miami, AZ.      My husband was excited to see this hit and miss engine. Seriously something for everyone.     While I walked around during the festival I met a local artist who had been one of the artists for Lisa Frank! I felt like I was meeting a celebrity from my childhood! Marriage Reconnect Be interested in what catches the attention of your spouse. Allow this to be a leisure activity of exploring, learning, and indulging in the arts!

A fun hobby has spread throughout the nation and possibly around the Globe! But, hey! We are actually in Globe and there are painted rocks to be found here too! Going rock hunting can take you anywhere in the community. All you have to do is decide on a starting point and you can look high, low, and all around while you spend the morning, afternoon, or evening chatting with your spouse. Check out the Globe Rocks page on Facebook and post pictures of any painted rocks that you find. As you go, re-hide the rocks that you find.

Time to start a book club with your best friend---spouse! Together, decide on a book possibly from one of your childhoods or look up classics to choose from. This is a great date night activity, because you can continue reading this book for a few evenings, while enjoying popcorn and snuggles in bed or on the couch. If the book was made into a movie, well there is your next date night! Talk about the differences in the book vs. movie. Marriage Reconnect By reading together you can discuss many different topics that come up throughout the story and get to know your spouse even better. Book Suggestions: 1.       The Series of Unfortunate Events, Laddie: A True Blue Story, Where the Red Fern Grows, Little Britches (and accompanying sequels)

Is there someone in town you know or someone in your extended families that is expecting their first baby? For this date, do something for this expecting couple. It could be making them a meal, buying a gift for their new baby, etc. Food: Before the date or while out shopping for the baby, pick up a few baby food containers to try together. This could be interesting! Alternative: Have a dinner themed around babies. Ex. Lamb chops, baby spinach, baby trees (Broccoli), etc.   Be creative! Marriage Reconnect Reminisce about the days leading up to the birth of your first child (or all of your children).  Share with each other what your biggest fears were and also what aspects of your spouse you loved seeing in them during "new parenthood".  Write a congratulations card to the parents to be/new parents....make it special!

What are must haves in your marriage and absolutely not's? On this stay at home date, create a marriage mission statement or slogan. It can be what ever you choose, but discuss why it's important to you. Post it in your bedroom so it can be viewed often. When my husband and I were first married we were thrifty as ever and really enjoyed spending time together, most often just exploring our little community. I don't remember when exactly we came up with this, but our marriage slogan became, 'With you, Life is Rich!' We have talked about how we feel so rich just having each other. I mod podged that statement on to the top of an old dresser and it was a great reminder to us. The statement is now above our bed as well. Find something that is really going to be connected to who you are, where you want to be, etc. To "top it off", build ice cream sundaes...no toppings are off limits!

Tonight, you are the authors of a beautifully written and illustrated children's novel. Work together on a list of what makes the best stories, things your own children would love in a story and begin! Have the setting be somewhere you have been together or right here in Globe......A mining book. Get creative! (Don't worry, you can use extra ideas the next time you write a book!) Choose your medium of art! This book could all be illustrated by finger painting, or only stick figures, stickers, etc. Ok, one of you drive out and pick up some DQ! Marriage Reconnect As you work on this work of art, compliment your spouse's creativity and ideas. Recognize the things that each of you contribute to the project. Both of you share/read this one of a kind story with your children.

A date can take place at any time during the day. Start this date early so you can enjoy a sunrise together at Round Mountain Park. Hike up to the Flag pole for a great view of a perfect Arizona sunrise. (Watch out for snakes!) Of course, breakfast is an important part of this date. Two great options: Bring breakfast along to enjoy on the trail or at the flag pole. Pack things like yogurt, apples, bananas, hard boiled eggs, juice, and muffins. Another fantastic option would be to drive downtown and enjoy a wonderfully cooked breakfast at La Luz Del Dia . Tables fill fast in this little downtown cafe for a reason! Marriage Reconnect:   Now, this is a theme date. Do you know the song, "My Front Porch Looking In" by Lonestar? Play this song while on your hike if you have internet access or before leaving for the date. Each of you share what your favorite views of the other are. These can be silly and/or sentimental and will remind you of how much you love each oth

   When was the last time you swung a bat? Have you ever swung a bat? I think that it is a bit of a secret that you can step up to bat right here locally, any day of the week. I can guarantee you will work muscles you haven't in quite some time when you go to the batting cages in downtown Globe. This is a great afternoon or early evening activity to work up an appetite. This date option can be done as a double or group date as well. What goes great with a few rounds up at bat? Head to  Clint's Blue Line Barbecue  for some different flavors and a fun atmosphere. Their barbecue and sides are so delicious, I recommend going on Thursday or Friday in hopes that they haven't run out! Marriage Reconnect: One of you be the batting coach and critique your spouse's form; maybe help them adjust and swing a few times.  Read the following quote and discuss ways you can be better friends. Set one goal each for the next week:  “It is not a lack of love, but a l