Looking Our Best

Part 4

In the past, our weekly dancing dates included getting dressed up and looking our best for each other!  It was a date!  This was before the dreaded Coronavirus struck and everything was shut down. 

Now, we find ourselves in lockdown mode, isolated from others as we work from home and stay away from the gym.  It is very easy not to put much effort in looking our best.  Let’s face it, we can wear our sweat pants and a t-shirt all the time and no one ever knows except our spouse.  We don’t even have to comb our hair, wear deodorant or take a bath.  : (  We live in a very casual world. 

I went months without wearing make-up.  I felt like I needed a full review on how to apply it to my face. : (

Looking our best does not mean wearing a formal or a suit and tie each day, but it does mean putting some effort into taking care of yourself.  Looking the best that we can. This is good for you and for your relationship with your spouse. It is easy to feel dumpy, when you look dumpy! : ) 

I remember our early dating years. We took time to look our very best for each other.  We would not have thought of doing anything but.  It was a time to impress each other.  I feel keeping this mindset helps keep our relationship stronger.  However, over the many years of being together, we feel it becomes less important to look good for each other.  Not sure why?  I always joke with Dan, this is why the good Lord takes away our good vision, so that as we age, we always look beautiful to each other!  

Recently, we celebrated a date night by cooking a meal together at home.  We both dressed up, fixed our  hair, applied some smelly stuff, shaved our stubble and we pretended we were going out on the town!  Why?  It’s important for each other and our marriage! 

2009-Our first year of Ballroom Dance Dates

God’s Word– Song of Songs 4:7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling;

    there is no flaw in you.

Dancing in the Moonlight-Because Life’s Too Short Not Too!

A Covid dance date! Such a heartwarming story! Please cut and pace in Facebook.

Part 1-Dating in the Times of Covid(February 19,2021)

Part 2-Winter Dating(Feb 26,2021)

Part 3-Dancing in the Moonlight-Because life’s too short not too(March 5,2021)

Part 4-Looking Our Best(March 12, 2021)

Part 5-10 Reasons to Ballroom Dance(March 19, 2021)

Part 6-Spring Dating(March 26,2021)

Part 7-Summer Dating(June 25,2021)

Part 8-Fall Dating(September 24, 2021)

Winter Dating

A few of our Winter Dating Ideas!

  • Dancing together at home – In the past, we have purchased DVD’s to work on our ballroom dance steps and techniques at home.  Our favorites are from Shawn Trautman. They are very easy to follow. https://www.shawntrautman.com/  They now also have a monthly online, on demand option. This would be awesome activity for the winter months.  You can cancel anytime. 
  • Dinner in front of our fireplace-pic
  • Friday Afternoon-dessert  and coffee together
  • Making new recipes together
  • Snowshoeing and Winter hiking-(No bugs or snakes)Wickiup, Indian Creek, Kent Park (Lake and Valley View Trail loop), Morgan Creek Park and Whitewater Canyon near Cascade, IA
  • Friday night pizza and a glass of wine (Our favorite pizza is BBQ Chicken)
  • Noontime walks together
Snowshoeing at Indian Creek Nature Center
Snowshoeing Sights

Part 1-Dating in the Times of Covid(February 19,2021)

Part 2-Winter Dating(Feb 26,2021)

Part 3-Dancing in the Moonlight-Because life’s too short not too(March 5,2021)

Part 4-Looking Our Best(March 12, 2021)

Part 5-10 Reasons to Ballroom Dance(March 19, 2021)

Part 6-Spring Dating(March 26,2021)

Part 7-Summer Dating(June 25,2021)

Part 8-Fall Dating(September 24, 2021)

Please share your Winter Date Ideas!

Dating in the Times of Covid

Dating was easy for Dan and I when we were ballroom dancing each weekend. We took advantage of that opportunity.  Our dates were pretty much planned for us.  We dressed up and took time to just enjoy each other’s company. That came to an abrupt end in March of 2020 when all group ballroom dances were cancelled.  

With Dan working from home, we have more time together than ever.  But that is not a date!   

Having fun and enjoying each other’s company remains very important and maybe even more so.  You may feel guilty doing anything enjoyable while so many are suffering.  Yet keeping your marriage healthy during trials will go a long way in maintaining your emotional health. However, you may need to get more creative since you may not be able to get out and about.

We would love for you to share what you have been doing for dating during Covid.

God’s Word: Ecclesiastes 9:7-8 (The Message)

Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don’t skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse 

Part 1-Dating in the Times of Covid(Feb 19,2021)

Part 2-Winter Dating(Feb 26,2021)

Part 3-Dancing in the Moonlight-Because Life’s Too Short Not Too(March 5,2021)

Part 4-Looking Our Best(March 12, 2021)

Part 5-10 Reasons to Ballroom Dance(March 19,2021)

Part 5-Spring Dating(March 26,2021)

Part 6-Summer Dating(June 25,2021)

Part 7-Fall Dating(September 24, 2021)

Let’s Date!

Valentine’s Day

Rod Pierson Big Band and Kava House Dance were our annual Valentines date nights.  With Covid all dance events have been cancelled.  How about a quiet night at home with a music playlist like this? 

Slow Dance Song list

  • Can’t Help Falling In Love- Elvis Presley
  • Me and You- Kenny Chesney
  • Amazed- Lonestar
  • Moonlight Serenade Frank Sinatra
  • I’m Getting Sentimental over You- Frank Sinatra
  • Breathe- Faith Hill
  • Feeling Good- Michael Bublé
  • Home -Michael Bublé
  • Everything About You- Darlene Zschech
  • A Moment Like This- Kelly Clarkson
  • My Best Friend- Tim McGraw
  • I Swear- John Michael Montgomery
  • Then(single addition)- Brad Paisley
  • I Finally Found Someone- Barbara Streisand-duet with Bryan Adams
  • God Gave Me You- Blake Shelton
  • Just a Kiss Lady- Antebellum
  • You’re Still the One- Shania Twain
  • From this Moment On- Shania Twain & Bryan White
  • It Goes Like This-Thomas Rhett
  • Like I’m Going to Lose You Meghan Trainor- feat.John Legend
  • Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheeran

‘Kava House Delights’

How about a date night to Kava House Café?

Check out the wonderful menu and hours at http://kavahousecafe.com

Our favorite is Friday Burger Night, and homemade dessert and coffee in the afternoon!

God’s Word– 1 Corinthians 14:1 Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.

Who’s Coming to Dinner?

 

In the 12 years we have been ballroom dancing together, we have yet to see someone out dancing with a cell phone in their hand.  Maybe it’s because when you dance, you need to maintain a good dance frame. Maybe it’s because you need to keep focused so you can do all of the dance steps you have been practicing. Or, maybe it’s because you need to maintain your concentration so you don’t lead your spouse into another dancer or a post in the middle of the floor!  None of these would  result in a happy outcome.  

But most importantly, it’s a date!  It is a time to get away from technology.  A time to enjoy the evening with each other and with the friends that we meet. Dancing is a great way to get away from technology. 

I am always amazed when couples are on a date at a restaurant and are looking at their cell phones – and are not looking at each other.  What a sad picture.

In our marriage we have made it our custom to not bring our cell phones to the dinner table or the bedroom.  If we bring technology to the dinner table, it’s as if we are bringing others to our meal, which in turn distracts from our ability to focus on each other. 

If we bring technology to our bedrooms, we are bringing the world’s problems and bad news to our intimate special place. While in the bedroom, It should be just the two of us. 

Do you have smartphone guidelines in your family?

The Dangers of Phubbing: Ignoring Your Partner For Your Phone Is Killing Your Relationship

God’s Word-Proverbs 4:26 (NIV) Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.